DNA from unidentified man buried in West Cork sent to Interpol 

Man, whose remains were found in the River Lee at the Lee Fields in July 1999, was exhumed from his grave earlier this month in an effort to identify him

The man's remains were found in the River Lee at the Lee Fields in July 1999. File picture: Denis Minihane

DNA samples taken from the remains of an unidentified man exhumed from his West Cork grave have been sent to Interpol in a bid to solve a 25-year-old mystery.

The man’s remains were reinterred in St Patrick’s cemetery in Bandon on Thursday, over three weeks after being exhumed on November 5. DNA samples were harvested and will now be used in an attempt to identify him.

The man’s remains were found in the River Lee at the Lee Fields in July 1999 and were taken from the water by fire officers.

A gravestone marking the grave of the unknown man reads: “Pray for the soul of a man whose name is known to God alone, interred here on the 25th of October 1999.” 

When found, he was wearing a Philip Mercier silver watch with a gold face. Wooden rosary beads and three religious medals were also found on his person, as well as a Good Luck medal in the shape of a horseshoe, on which was etched the name MacGinty.

However, efforts to identify the man failed. Fingerprints could not be obtained because of the decomposition of the body.

Earlier this year, gardaí made a formal request to the coroner for South Cork, Frank O’Connell, for an exhumation of the body for the purpose of DNA profiling.

Under coronial legislation, exhumations are allowed if a licence is obtained or if an order is made by the minister for justice. Mr O’Connell made an application to Justice Minister Helen McEntee for the order in recent months and confirmed a licence has been granted.

An exhumation must be carried out under strict conditions, with an environmental health officer present to ensure public health is protected. The officer also attends the reburial of the remains. Typically, the area of a graveyard where the exhumation is to take place is sealed off for privacy.

The unidentified man is included in a database of more than 40 unidentified human remains across the country.

As DNA profiles are generated, they will be regularly checked against all profiles of unidentified remains.