Hi °C | Lo °C DUP leader Ian Paisley was today due to meet the mother of Columba McVeigh, one of the 'disappeared'.
DUP leader Ian Paisley was today due to meet the mother of Columba McVeigh, one of the 'disappeared'.
The meeting comes almost five months after a plea from the late Monsignor Denis Faul from his deathbed to Mr Paisley.
In July, the DUP leader said Fr Faul had urged him "not to give in" until the families of the disappeared had retrieved the remains of their loved ones.
A member of the family said today that Columba's mother, Vera McVeigh, talks about his disappearance every day - more than 30 years after it happened.
In 1975, aged just 17, Columba was kidnapped, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA and three years ago Mrs McVeigh said she had given up hope of his body ever being located.
The relative said the greatest impact had been on Mrs McVeigh rather than the family as a whole. "She still talks about it every day, it won't go away for her," he said.
Three years ago a two-week excavation in bogland at Bragan near Emyvale, in Co Monaghan, failed to find any remains.
It was the third operation in the area following new information which had been passed to the Irish government from the IRA.
After a telephone conversation with Mrs McVeigh, during which they prayed together, Mr Paisley said: "Thirty-two years is a terribly long time to wait and her hopes are that we will come across something that will point the finger and she will be hopefully able to see her son buried."
Mrs McVeigh said: "He was very sincere and he said he would help me all he could. I have more hope now ... I do have a bit more confidence this time than I have ever had before."
