Search renewed for missing teen
A major search operation got underway in Limerick today for the body of missing teenager Richard 'Happy' Kelly.
Thirty army personnel and up to 20 gardaí were involved in a series of searches for the 18-year-old Southill man who has been missing since April 24 last.
The operation began at 8am and a total of four different areas were searched in Rathbane, Ballyclough and the Ballysimon Road parts of Limerick city.
The missing teenager's mother Mary Kelly broke down after she went to the scene of one of the searches this morning, which was located near the family home in Southill's O'Malley Park.
"The reality hit me that they were actually searching the fields of Southill for my child and I fell to pieces," she said.
"It's breaking my heart just watching it and knowing what they are looking for. Knowing that they are looking for my child," she added.
Mrs Kelly renewed her appeal to anybody with any information about her son's disappearance to contact the authorities.
"I'm pleading with anyone out there who knows anything to tell the gardaí. Please it's been too long, it's 20 weeks now which is way too long altogether," she added.
Mary Kelly has not seen her 18 year-old son, Richard ‘Happy’ Kelly since he left home in O’Malley Park, Limerick, on April 23rd last.
The teenager told his mother that he was going to babysit his infant son who lives nearby with a former girlfriend but he never came home.
Gardaí at Roxboro Road set up an incident room following reports that he was last sighted in the Daly’s Cross area in the early hours of April 24th last.
However, there have been no reported sightings of the teenager since that date prompting his mother to express serious concerns for his well-being.
Members of the Garda Sub-Aqua team also carried out searches of parts of the river Shannon on the outskirts of Limerick but nothing was uncovered.
Meanwhile Defence Minister, Willie O'Dea said today that he had instructed the army to give the gardaí whatever assistance they needed.
"I now that they are searching intensively and I sincerely hope for the sake of the family that the searches will prove successful, because it's been a very traumatic time for Mr Kelly's family, for his mother his grandmother his relatives and friends," said Minister O'Dea.
A garda spokesman confirmed that nothing had been recovered in the searches so far, and that more searches were likely to take place tomorrow.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Richard ‘Happy’ Kelly is asked to contact Roxboro Road garda station at 061 214 340.
