POLICE have begun a nationwide search for a missing Irishman whose sudden disappearance has been described as “very out of character” by his sister.
Barry Doherty, 25, was last seen a week ago in Paisley, Scotland.
But extensive enquiries by police across the country and back in his home county of Donegal have proved fruitless, leaving the construction worker’s worried family with no idea where he could be.
“This is very unlike him,” Mr Doherty’s sister Cathie told The Irish Post. “It is very out of character.
“Barry is a real charmer, very chatty. He could go into a pub on his own and leave it knowing five or six new friends. He did not have enemies. I don’t think he had the energy for that kind of thing. It is not who he is.”
The 27-year-old, who flew over to Scotland this week to try and track down her brother, added that the search will now have to be extended to Liverpool, where Mr Doherty had been working sporadically during the past year.
The Donegal man, who moved to Paisley when he was 18 and lives there with his father, is described as being 6’1, with brown hair and an Irish accent.
As The Irish Post went to print on Monday, he had last been seen in the Glenburn area of Paisley on July 15, wearing trainers, navy shorts and a light blue shirt.
Before then, his sister said, he had been in “very regular” contact.
“If anyone sees Barry, please tell him to contact his family and let everyone know he is alright,” Ms Doherty added. “He is a popular guy, he was friendly and we have been in touch with all of his friends at this stage. But we know nothing at all at this stage.
“The police have been great. They are just crossing possibilities off their list, which feels both like progress and disaster.
“I think they are going to expand their search beyond the Glasgow-Paisley area today [Monday] and start looking further afield across Britain. He used to work in Liverpool so they are going to check there.
“But he would have had money on him when he left, so it is a possibility that he could have travelled further afield.”
Speaking to The Irish Post, a spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed that the last sighting of Mr Doherty had been on July 15.
“But he was not reported missing to police until Thursday evening (July 18),” she added.
“Since then, extensive enquiries by officers have been going on in the local area, across Scotland and back home in Ireland in an effort to trace Mr Doherty. Those have not yet yielded any results. His image has also been circulated at all hubs, which is train stations, airports and ports.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr Doherty is urged to contact Paisley Police Station on 0141 532 5900.
See More: Donegal, Irish In Britain, Missing, Scotland
