Garda commissioner willing to meet brother of Ireland’s longest-missing child

Frank O'Neill said : 'I call again on the commissioner to apologise to my missing brother and to my family who were left broken by his disappearance.'

Frank O'Neill whose brother Jimmy is the longest missing child in Ireland. Photo: Patrick Browne

The garda commissioner has said he is open to meeting the brother of Ireland’s longest-missing child who has been appealing for an investigation into the disappearance.

Jimmy O’Neill was just 16 when he disappeared from his family home in Waterford almost 80 years ago.

He had been accused by a detective of robbery, and his brother and last living sibling, Frank O’Neill believes that he was falsely accused and ran away out of fear.

Frank has been calling for an investigation into the case and an apology from the gardaí over his brother’s disappearance. Now, garda commissioner Justin Kelly told the Irish Examiner that he and other senior gardaí would be open to meeting 84-year-old Frank.

“I'm hugely sympathetic to Mr O'Neill,” Mr Kelly said. "It's hugely traumatic for him and obviously over a long period of time.

"I’m always very open to meet victims and to meet people who are in difficult situations around missing persons.

"Myself and some of the senior team, we're certainly open to meet Mr O'Neill or to meet any of his representatives and discuss it further."

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Frank thanked the garda commissioner for being open to meeting. He said that Jimmy deserves to have his name cleared. The garda commissioner heard him publicly speak at a missing persons day about his brother’s case, Frank said.

“My brother Jimmy was a child and an Irish citizen and he deserves to have peace and his name cleared, just as my family deserves it,” Frank said.

“I call again on the commissioner to apologise to my missing brother and to my family who were left broken by his disappearance.

“He did nothing wrong and there is no file on my brother in Waterford, gardaí have confirmed. I’m available to meet the commissioner at any stage and thank him for the offer”.

Jimmy O’Neill was just 16 when he disappeared from his family home in Waterford almost 80 years ago. Photo: Patrick Browne

Jimmy was last seen by his family at their home on December 15, 1947.

Frank believes that a detective in Waterford "took a dislike" to his brother and intimidated him. He accused him of theft, although no formal charges were ever brought.

Jimmy ran away in fear of this detective, Frank believes.

The 16-year-old had worked in a local shipping company and it is believed he stowed away on one of their ships.