Gardaí no closer to finding Kerry farmer Michael Gaine but believe he may still be alive

In making another appeal for information, gardaí have also urged him — if he is still alive — to make contact with them

The 56-year-old from Kenmare has not been seen since he bought a sandwich and mobile phone credit on the morning of March 20 at the Centra supermarket in the town.

Gardaí are “nowhere nearer” to finding missing Kerry sheep farmer Michael Gaine and believe he could still be alive.

In making another appeal for information, gardaí have urged him — if he is still alive — to make contact with them.

The 56-year-old from Kenmare has not been seen since he bought a sandwich and mobile phone credit on the morning of March 20 at the Centra supermarket in the town.

An in-store camera filmed him wearing a distinctive orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans, and black boots. Mr Gaine is described as being approximately 5' 10" tall with a stocky build, brown/grey hair and a bushy beard.

Speaking to the media at Kenmare Garda Station on Friday, Superintendent Dave Callaghan was asked if gardaí still believe Mr Gaine to be alive. He said: “We haven't recovered Michael. This is still a missing persons investigation.

“So I would appeal that if he is alive, that he would contact someone, or that if anyone knows that he's alive or knows his whereabouts, to make contact with gardaí.

We don't know his whereabouts. His family are extremely concerned. We are extremely concerned.

Supt Callaghan added: “I would appeal to those that may think the information they have is insignificant to contact us.

“While they may think it's insignificant, it may be significant to us and I would appeal to those people that haven't contacted [gardaí] to date, I would urge them to come forward.” 

He described the fact that he has been missing for so long as both “challenging” and “unique”.

He said: “Every missing person case is investigated, and it depends on the information you have and the circumstances surrounding it.

“It is unique. We are three weeks into it, and we don't know his whereabouts and that is unique. It's challenging as well.” 

He admitted that gardaí are nowhere near finding him.

Supt Callaghan said that searches "are continuing and will continue into the weekend and into early next week, and that's reviewed on a daily basis".

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“That we're still searching probably highlights the mystery in relation to Michael Gaine’s whereabouts, and that is challenging, and we're not any closer to finding him.” 

Gardaí revealed on Thursday that they have carried out 230 formal enquiries and taken nearly 100 witness statements in their ongoing search for the missing sheep farmer.

They have also recovered 1,500 hours of CCTV/dash-cam footage from houses and vehicles in and around Kenmare.

The Kenmare-based 56-year-old has been missing since he was last seen in a Centra supermarket in Kenmare on the morning of March 20.

A short while later, he walked out into the car park, got into the bronze Toyota RAV4 jeep he was driving at the time of his disappearance, and drove to his farm near Moll’s Gap, between Kenmare and Killarney. The jeep's registration number is 152 KY 366.

He is understood to have driven past the house he shared with his wife, Janice, in Carhoomeengar East, three kilometres from Kenmare, before heading straight to his family’s old farmhouse along the Ring of Kerry route.

Mr Gaine's phone and wallet were later found in the jeep.

He has not been in touch with his wife Janice or his two sisters since, and there has been no sign of him despite extensive searches, enquiries and repeated appeals by gardaí.

Gardaí continue to want to speak to any person who travelled on the N71 on Thursday March 20, after 09.48am and/or any person who may have any camera footage, including dash-cam or CCTV, or any other images (video or still) from Thursday March 20 and Friday March 21 in the Kenmare town/Moll’s Gap (N71/ R568) area to provide that imagery to the Garda investigation team.

An Garda Síochán continues to appeal to any person who may have any information on Mr Gaine's whereabouts to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.