The parents of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier said yesterday their pain at their daughter's death was worse than ever, eight years after her death.
Speaking after a memorial Mass in Goleen, west Cork, Ms Marguerite Bouniol said: "After eight years, the pain feels even worse because I feel I am doing nothing for my daughter - we hope for a conviction but the result is not there.
"If the murderer keeps living like everybody else, I will have done nothing for my daughter."
Ms Toscan du Plantier's badly beaten body was found outside her holiday home at Toormore near Schull in west Cork on December 23rd, 1996.
Ms Bouniol and her husband, Georges, were accompanied by Ms du Plantier's sister, Ms Marie Madeleine Opalka, and her husband, Roman.
After the Mass, Ms Opalka spoke of the family's gratitude to the people of Schull and Goleen for their support in the past year.
Over 20 people from the area gave evidence last December on behalf of seven newspaper publishers in a libel action taken by an English journalist Mr Ian Bailey.
He claimed he had been defamed by the papers when they linked him to Ms Toscan du Plantier's death.
Ms Opalka thanked local people "who came here to help the police and to help get justice for Sophie and to the newspapers who fought this case last year".
She added: "In France we know the courage of the Irish people and we understood that much more when we saw so many people helping the police in the last year and we do hope that even people who know more may come forward.
"I think the courage of the people of Schull and Goleen is very important because they could say, 'Oh, she comes from outside, she's not Irish', but all the community was like one person helping the police and that was very emotional for us - we are so grateful."
She said that Sophie had loved the Irish countryside from the age of 14. "She never did anything to anyone, she just came to be quiet and to admire the countryside - she adored Ireland.
"That is why it is so unjust and so incomprehensible that she was killed. So for all these reasons we are always frustrated but we remain confident that because of the enormous work done by the police, that justice will be done," Ms Opalka said.
Ms Bouniol confirmed the family would be proceeding with its civil action for damages against Mr Bailey.
Earlier, the Bouniols laid a bouquet of lilies at the Celtic cross which marks the spot where their daughter's body was found.
