A NEW search will begin today for the remains of a Cistercian monk killed by the IRA more than 40 years ago.
The dig will be led by British forensic scientist Geoff Knupfer, a former member of Manchester Police, who has been instrumental in the search for the so-called Disappeared in the North of Ireland.
Mr Lynskey, who was a former monk from the Beechmount area of Belfast, went missing in August 1972.
His family were left in the dark about what happened to him until almost 40 years later, when the IRA admitted killing him.
A fresh search will be carried out today at Coghalstown in Co. Meath, close to where the remains of another victim, Brendan Megraw, were found last year.
It is understood that authorities are confident that his remains lie in the area and the surrounding bogland will be searched.
“We have good reason to believe that we are in the right area and that his remains lie somewhere in the six hectares site," Mr Knupfer told the Press Association. "But while the terrain is not as rough as at Oristown where we found Brendan Megraw in October last year we still have a difficult and complex task ahead of us.”
The Disappeared are 16 victims of sectarian killings in the North of Ireland, abducted, murdered and secretly buried by Republican forces during the Troubles.
In all, the remains of 10 of the victims have been recovered so far - the most recent being those of Brendan Megraw in October of last year.
Mr Knupfer has been a leading figure in the digs for bodies of the Disappeared and was also involved in locating the bodies of the infamous Moors Murders victims in Britain.
“It would be quite wrong to think that because we have started the search for Joe Lynskey that there is no need for someone who knows something of the events in Coghalstown in 1972 to give us that information," he said.
“It might be the key to finding his remains and returning them to his family for a Christian burial.”
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