Gardaí to exhume unidentified woman's body
The remains of an unidentified woman found dead on beach 12 years ago are to be exhumed, it emerged tonight.
Her skeletal remains were found washed up on Balinamona Beach, Wexford on December 12, 1995.
Gardaí asked Acting Coroner for North Wexford, Dr Sean M Nixon, for the body to be dug up to allow samples to be taken for DNA tests.
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan authorised the move despite previous appeals being refused by his office.
In a statement, the Department of Justice said DNA tests had been requested.
“The exhumation order was made on foot of an application to him from the Garda authorities that the body be exhumed to enable samples to be taken for the purpose of DNA comparison.”
The unidentified woman’s body was buried in Crosstown Cemetery in Co Wexford six months after her skeletal remains washed up on Balinamona Beach.
It is believed to be missing woman Priscilla Clarke, 25, who went missing in 1988.
She had been horseriding near the River Dargle at Powerscourt, Co Wicklow with Lynda Kavanagh, the wife of high-profile property developer Mark Kavanagh, when gardai believe swollen waters swept them away.
A post mortem was carried out by the then state pathologist Dr John Harbison but no identification was made.
