The search of the former family home of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin (8) by detectives investigating his suspected murder is expected to resume this morning.
The house on Emer Terrace in Dundalk, where new tenants unconnected to the investigation now live, was taken into possession of gardaí after they were granted an order by the District Court.
Gardaí arrived early yesterday and spent the day searching the house, as well the garden and adjoining ground to the house. The garden was excavated using a mini-digger.
Last week, An Garda Síochána confirmed they had launched a murder investigation.
The Child and Family Agency Tusla has also revealed that in August it had raised a “significant concern” about Kyran to gardaí.
“We can confirm that whilst Kyran was not in the care of Tusla, our services had engaged with both he and his family,” Tusla said.
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“In August 2024, we alerted An Garda Síochána in relation to a significant concern about Kyran.
“Since August, we have continued to assist and work closely with the gardaí, and in line with normal practice, all relevant information has been shared.
“We can also confirm that as appropriate, a notification has been sent to The National Review Panel (NRP), whose responsibility is to independently review cases of serious incidents involving children in care or known to Tusla.”
Kyran Durnin on his first day in St. Nicholas Monastery School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics
Tusla also said it has commenced an internal review, to look at its engagements and interactions with Kyran and his family.
“We are conscious of the ongoing garda investigation, and as such will not be commenting further at this time. Anyone with information on this case should contact An Garda Síochána,” it added.
Kyran was reported missing from his home in Drogheda on August 30, with gardaí told he was last seen two days earlier. However, investigators believe he had been missing for much longer.
The last positive sighting of him was at the end of the school year in 2022, when he was in senior infants in Dundalk and was six years of age. Gardaí now suspect the child was killed two years ago.
On Emer Terrace yesterday, there was a quiet sense of sadness among neighbours who remembered young Kyran and his mother when they resided at the property.
One neighbour said Kyran’s mother moved out earlier this summer. A massive skip was placed outside the house in June and filled with a huge number of rubbish bags as the house was emptied before new tenants moved in, they said.
A garda forensic officer at the scene on Emer Terrace, Dundalk, Co Louth
“I haven’t seen Kyran for a few years,” said Karen Rice, the manager of the Vincent’s charity shop across the road.
She described Kyran’s mother as quiet.
“She kept to herself up until last year when she started coming in here. I didn’t really speak to Kyran, It’s just tragic,” she said.
“It’s very stressful. It’s awful. You wouldn’t see it on TV. It’s just not right, it’s sickening. You can’t make sense of it. There’s no sense to it. How can a child be missing for two years? I don’t know.”
Down the street, a local man said the family had lived there for around three years.
“It’s so sad. You never think you’d hear something like that on your own doorstep,” he said. “There was nothing out of the ordinary. Now, there’s a mini-digger working in the garden and a yellow camera recording. They started this morning. It’s a sad case, and scary.”
A local woman passing the scene said children are going home to their families asking questions. “What do you say to them?
“They’re asking why it has taken two years for someone to notice this child was missing,” she said.
The search continued across the day yesterday until around 6pm in the evening.
Members of the garda technical bureau at Emer Terrace, Dundalk, Co Louth. Photo: Newspics
Ahead of the search, Kyran’s relatives on his paternal side issued a number of appeals for information.
Making the appeal on Facebook, Jacqueline Leydon posted a picture of Kyran, writing: “This is my grandson Kyran.
“If anyone has any information on him or his whereabouts, can you please contact your local garda station. He needs to be found as soon as possible.”
Other extended family members on Kyran’s father’s side issued a similar plea.
Calls to Ms Leydon’s home in Co Meath went unanswered yesterday.
Meanwhile, the owners of the property in Dundalk declined to comment when contacted by the Irish Independent.
They are understood to have owned the property for almost a decade and had been renting it out.
It comes as the wider Dundalk community prepare to hold another vigil for the missing child.
Organised by local woman Brittany McEnteggart, it is due to take place at Market Square in the town on Monday. Attendees are asked to bring a lantern and something blue to represent Kyran.