Female body found in Galway believed to be of missing swimmer

The body was found during an extensive search operation for missing woman, Máire Ní Fhátharta, who was reported missing from Silverstrand beach in Galway on 12 November after going for a swim.

The search for Ms Ní Fhátharta has now been stood down, however formal identification has yet to occur and this process remains ongoing, said Gardaí.

The body was recovered near Rusheen Bay, Co Galway this evening and was transferred to the morgue at University Hospital Galway, where a post-mortem examination is due to take place.

A garda statement said: “An Garda Síochána continues to provide our support to the loved ones of the missing woman and a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed.

“An Garda Síochána would like to thank the local community in Galway, volunteer organisations, and search & recovery services for their care and assistance over the past eleven days.”

A widespread search to locate Ms Ní Fhátharta, from Spiddal, has been ongoing over the past 11 days, with the support of Gardaí, the Irish Coastguard, RNLI, Civil Defence and hundreds of volunteers.

Search and rescue services launched a major operation on November 12 when alerted to concerns local man, singer and songwriter Johnny Duhan (74), was missing having gone for a swim at Silverstrand Beach, Barna, Co Galway.

Hours later gardaí received a report that another person, Máire Ní Fhátharta was also feared missing having gone for a swim in the same spot after she failed to turn up for work.

Her car was subsequently found in car park at Silverstrand.

The body of Mr Duhan was since recovered from the waters off Rusheen Bay on Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier this week the sisters of Máire Ní Fhátharta said they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received in trying to locate her.

Her sisters, Maighréad and Fionnuala, told RTÉ’s News at One that they are not going to give up the search until she is found.

“Hopefully we will get a result very very soon… without the people, we wouldn’t be able to keep the faith and the hope as we have until now,” Fionnuala said.

She added that people all over the country have rallied around the rescue effort, with some even helping from abroad.

“Every single thing that people are doing is helping us,” she said.

Maighread said her sister leaves behind a legacy as a kind person with many of those surrounding her deeply impacted by her disappearance.

“She was the kindest, funniest and most special person I’ve ever known, and probably will ever know. She was the best sister and friend, and partner to Dan, and we’re all very lucky to have known her,” she said.

“It’s going to be very difficult for us to move on from this, but we’d just like to thank our friends and families, and the thousands of people who have shown up in any way for Máire.

“I think everyone would agree that she was just a very different person, and we’re all very blessed to have known her.”

The search for Ms Ní Fháthartha has involved around 500 volunteers as part of a multi-agency effort.

She was first reported missing on Tuesday November 12 after her daily swim.

An alarm was first raised after she failed to turn up for work at Foram Chois Fharraige, where she is employed as an Irish language planning officer.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has already raised over €200,000 to towards the search effort.