Appeal over US man last seen in Ireland

An American mother of two, who believes her missing son is in Ireland, has issued an appeal to members of the public to watch…

An American mother of two, who believes her missing son is in Ireland, has issued an appeal to members of the public to watch out for him this summer as they visit various holiday spots across the country.

Terri Mullaney, from Scituate, Massachusetts, recently put up a $75,000 (€63,300) reward, through the US embassy in Dublin for information leading to her son Matt's safe return.

Matt Mullaney left a pub in Florence, Italy, on February 1st, 2003, after a night out with friends and hasn't been heard from since. The 23-year-old was studying art at the prestigious Angel Academy for a few months before he went missing.

Last year an Irish couple contacted gardaí claiming they had spent the afternoon of July 2nd, 2005, in Kinsale, Co Cork with Matt. The pair spotted a photo of Matt in a newspaper appeal for information and were convinced that he was the same person they spoke to in Oscar Madison's pub in Kinsale last summer.

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The man reportedly introduced himself as "Matt from Massachusetts" and said he was keeping a journal of his travels in order to write a book.

Meanwhile, in February 2005, a man claimed to have had a conversation with a man who resembled Matt in a Dublin pub.

There was also an unconfirmed sighting of him in a Galway pub in January 2004.

Ms Mullaney says she can't even begin to imagine why her happy-go-lucky son disappeared. She is appealing to Irish people to keep an eye out for her son in order to solve the mystery of his disappearance.

"After the July sightings in Kinsale came through last January, there was a flurry of press and conversations with the Garda. It seemed so positive.

"The witnesses would not waiver and now we are trying to figure out what to do next. I would imagine any parent of a missing child feels pain every day, as I do.

"I can still hear the sound of his voice or [see] his smile. One day you are feeling it is going to happen any day now and the next you don't want to get out of bed. But you do and with a determination that won't quit until you get an answer."

Matt is described as 1.77m (5ft 10in) tall, of medium build with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

He has pierced ears and a tattoo of a flaming shamrock on his back.

Anyone with information should contact gardaí on 01 666 0000 or the American embassy. Alternatively, check out the Matt Mullaney website on www.matthewmullaney.com