After 30 days of fruitless searching, gardai uncovered yesterday in a double grave the bodies of two of the "disappeared". The remains are believed to be those of John McClory (17) and Brian McKinney (22), who were abducted and murdered by the IRA in 1978.
Mr John Wilson, of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains, said: "This is a very important day; it has given the families extra hope. It was said to me (by the families) that they did not want retribution, just some place to bring a bowl of flowers."
These are the first remains to be uncovered at any of the six sites identified by the IRA as the secret burial places of eight people it killed. Excavations at the locations in Monaghan, Meath, Louth and Wicklow began more than four weeks ago.
Fresh information given to the commission last weekend led to gardai searching the section of bogland in Colgagh, Iniskeen, Co Monaghan, where the remains were found.
It was about 70 metres from the original location pointed out to the commission by intermediaries, who are in direct contact with the IRA.
Some of the families of the disappeared were in Dundalk, 10 miles away, meeting the commission when the news broke.
Just after 1 p.m. gardai using mechanical diggers to lift the earth inches at a time uncovered human bones. The work was immediately suspended and the McClory and McKinney families were notified. At first there appeared to be just one body and it was only when the State pathologist, Dr John Harbison, examined the scene that the second body was discovered lying beside it. Supt John Farrelly said: "This is obviously good news, it is in keeping with what had been indicated to us in the beginning on May 29th."
The families of both men visited the scene, laid flowers and prayed. Afterwards Mrs Lily McDonald, sister of Mr McClory, said: "I feel relief, just contentment, now that we can take him home and bury him and have somewhere to go, to visit."
She said the family always believed his body would be found but never thought it would take 21 years. They were visiting the site "for peace of mind, for all of us, so we knew where he was and maybe we will get a memorial, I don't know yet".
Mr Wilson, who was at the site for most of the afternoon, said if the discovery helped to nail down the Belfast Agreement, "all the better."
The search at Colgagh has been overseen by Supt Tom Long and operated from Carrickmacross Garda Station. Over two million gallons of water were pumped out of the bogland and an area of 1 1/2 acres was excavated.
A second search in Monaghan, also on boggy land but at Emyvale, will continue. Chief Supt Colm Rooney, Cavan/Monaghan division, said: "We are committed to finding the bodies and that is evident from the work going on at this site and all other sites."