Gardaí have carried out international inquiries via Interpol in several countries in an attempt to solve the mystery surrounding a couple who disappeared from Co Cork 35 years ago.
The Garda on Thursday renewed its appeal for information regarding Conor Dwyer (62) and Sheila Dwyer (60), who were last seen on April 30th, 1991, near their home at Chapel Hill in Fermoy.
Marking the anniversary of the couple’s disappearance, Det Insp Anna-Marie Guiney on Thursday said searches and other inquiries had been carried out over the past year as part of the continuing investigation.
Guiney said gardaí had made inquiries through Interpol with police forces in Britain, the US, Germany and a number of other countries in their efforts to track down the Dwyers.
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“We have also reviewed over 500 statements and documents taken as part of the original investigation. We have taken a number of new statements but we’re anxious to speak to anyone who may have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, that might assist us in our investigation.”
Sheila O’Dwyer spoke with her sister by telephone on May 1st, 1991. He sister tried calling her on May 19th that year, Sheila’s birthday, but got no reply. She and another sister called to the house but found it empty and reported the couple missing to gardaí soon afterwards.
Gardaí called to the house and found the couple’s passports along with around IR£1,000 in cash, a substantial sum of money for the time. While some of the Dwyers’ clothes were missing, nothing was disturbed in the house.
Conor O’Dwyer’s car, a white Toyota Cressida with the registration 5797 ZT, was missing. Gardaí notified all ports at the time, but there were never any reports of the car having left the country.
The car was registered to Conor and had recently been taxed in January 1991. It has not since been re-registered in any other name and it has not been seen since despite numerous searches including some by the Garda Water Unit in the nearby river Blackwater.
The last person to see the O’Dwyers was their neighbour Catherine Fenton, who greeted the couple at around 9.30am on April 30th, 1991 near their home on Chapel Hill. They were leaving to attend a funeral at St Patrick’s church, which was just a few hundred metres away.
A native of Shanballymore, Conor O’Dwyer operated a hackney service and worked as a chauffeur and general handyman for German businessman Fritz Wolff, who lived nearby at Castlelyons House.
Anyone with any information that might assist gardaí in their inquiries is asked to contact Fermoy Garda station on 025 82100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
