Limerick gardai’s crucial role in rescuing missing lady in Glenstal Abbey revealed

WHEN Garda John Ryan had to call off the search for the night at 3am in Glenstal Abbey on Easter Saturday he, like everyone else, feared the worst.

The Murroe garda got the phone call at 7.15pm on Good Friday from a monk. An elderly lady was missing. She was on a retreat, went for a walk but hadn’t returned. Garda Ryan immediately went to the monastery and put a plan in place with Detective Sergeant Ted Riordan and Garda Trevor McGrath.

“We searched all the rooms in the buildings and the grounds. There was no sign. We called in the garda helicopter. When 3am came and the helicopter hadn’t spotted anything you were fearing the worst,” said Garda Ryan.

The experienced garda said: “I don’t know how many times I’ve had searches like that and it never came up positive.”

But Garda Ryan remained positive and did everything in his power to find the lady who is 80 years old. He got in touch with as many organisations as he could. The Garda Dog Unit, Irish Search Dogs, and Search and Rescue Dog Association in Cork were contacted.

South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association, Nenagh Ormond Search Unit, Irish Community Rapid Response, Killaloe Coast Guard,  Limerick Land Search Team and Limerick Civil Defence were all notified. They all began to make their way to Murroe. Garda Ryan also asked the Murroe Community Facebook page to ask people to congregate at 10am on Easter Saturday.

“I wanted the locals to help search outside of Glenstal Abbey’s grounds,” said Garda Ryan.

He headed home to bed after 3am but sleep wouldn’t come.

“You’re not going to sleep in a situation like that because you’re thinking about the person who is missing and what is the best thing to do,” said Garda Ryan.

He and fellow gardai from Bruff were back in Glenstal at 7am. They met with the assortment of rescue teams and began combing the monastery’s 400 acres of grounds and gardens.

This discounts the surrounding countryside where the lady could also have wandered off to. It wasn’t said openly but they were looking for a body. 

The dogs were brought into the missing lady’s room to get the scent. At 9am, they were let loose.

Handled by Joanne Horgan, the Irish Search Dogs’ Dante soon located the missing woman’s handbag. Assisted by navigator, Paul Ramsell, the teams of dogs were closing in. This resulted in Glen Barton’s Irish Search Dog Ben locating the missing woman safe and well at 10.30am.

“Being a dog lover herself, the woman couldn’t get enough cuddles from Ben, who coincidentally helped to keep her nice and warm while awaiting the assistance of an Irish Community Rapid Response doctor,” said an Irish Search Dogs spokesperson.

Garda dog handler, Pat Harrington said: “The early deployment of the dogs in this scenario is key. Our dogs are able to detect any human scent whilst out in open areas such as the fields surrounding Glenstal Abbey.”

When Garda Ryan got the phone call at 10.30am to say she had been located he thought to himself, “At least they have found her body”.

“I couldn’t believe it when they said she was still alive. It was brilliant,” said Garda Ryan.

As the crow flies the lady was about a mile from the back of Glenstal Abbey church. She walked up a steep incline, went over a boundary wall into a neighbouring farm. She continued across the farm. She found herself in a deep hollow where there is a little wooded area. As it was beginning to get dark and she was feeling tired she remained there. She sat on a rock during the unseasonally warm April night.

After the 80-year-old was found by Ben, locals drove a jeep to bring her back. Despite being exposed to the elements overnight the hardy soul politely declined help and got into the vehicle herself. She also walked into the ambulance unaided.

It is understood the woman from Clare was discharged from hospital this Tuesday. While wishing to remain private the family did wish to thank the gardai, dog units, rescue teams and locals who helped out.

Garda Ryan also praised the dog units, rescue teams and the amount of men and women who turned up on Saturday morning.

“The response from the local community in Murroe and surrounding parishes was just amazing. Over 100 turned up on Easter Saturday morning,” said Garda Ryan, who sent his best wishes to the lady.

Local election candidate, John Egan said gardai deserved great credit for how they handled the situation and all the search teams.

“The local community was brilliant. They came out at very short notice. It shows the community spirit in Murroe and surrounding parishes,” said Mr Egan.