Gardaí arrest man on suspicion of murder in Michael Gaine case
Gardaí have announced that they have made an arrest as part of the investigation into the disappearance and homicide of farmer Michael Gaine.
The arrested individual, a man aged in his 50s, was arrested and detained on suspicion of murder, and is being held at a garda station in Co. Kerry.
The development comes after partial human remains were discovered by investigators yesterday (Saturday, May 17).
Michael Gaine was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on Friday, March 21, 2025.
The suckler and sheep farmer was last seen in Kenmare town on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
In a statement today (Sunday, May 18), gardaí said: 'Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station continue to investigate the disappearance and homicide of Michael Gaine (56), who was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co. Kerry, on Friday, March 21, 2025.
'The homicide investigation, led by a senior investigating officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division is ongoing, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI),' the statement added.
'This afternoon, Sunday, May 18, 2025 a male (aged in his 50s) has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
'The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a garda station in Kerry Division,' gardaí said.
Investigators are continuing to carry out searches and technical examinations at lands at Carrig East, Kenmare, Co. Kerry.
The family of Michael Gaine has been informed of the arrest, and gardaí say they continue to support his family through a Family Liaison Officer. The family have requested privacy at this time.
Gardaí have reiterated their appeal to the public for assistance in this investigation. The Garda investigation team can be contacted at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or by speaking with any member of An Garda Síochána.
Yesterday morning, gardaí said they had declared a crime scene as part of the investigation, and subsequently announced the discovery of partial human remains.
Searches continued to recover any further human remains. DNA analysis is set to be carried out to formally identify the recovered remains.
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
The mystery over what happened to Michael Gaine only adds to the pain
Michael Gaine should be remembered for how he lived and not for how he died, his local parish priest claimed at his funeral. Unfortunately that's unlikely to be the case as this much-loved Kerry farmer's death will always register as one of the most grotesque and macabre murders in recent years. The fact that no one has so far been held to account for this horrific murder amid growing fears that his killer might escape justice will only add to the notoriety of the case. What appears to have been a series of blunders on the part of investigating gardai in the early stages of his disappearance when vital evidence might have been available is also a cause of serious concern. Gardaí now believe the outgoing farmer who loved music and travelling was murdered soon after he returned to his isolated farmyard at Carrig East, six kilometres from Kenmare town on March 20. In his homily yesterday the Parish Priest of Kenmare Fr George Hayes said that since Michael went missing 'we've asked so many questions, and in life, sometimes there are no answers.' It is hard to argue with Fr Hayes' assessment as fears grow that the killer may never face charges because of a lack of evidence. Indeed there is a growing resignation that the chance of catching his killer has passed. The announcement by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on Friday that a review of the police investigation of the murder is to take place would also indicate that mistakes have been made. The Commissioner said there are definite lessons to be learned from investigations, that were initially treated as missing persons cases, but which were later classed as homicides. But when the 56-year old farmer disappeared on March 20 last March those closest to him realised almost immediately that this was not a missing persons case. They knew this farmer who lived for his family, relations and friends would never leave the ones he loved or the land he worked for years. Although they could never have imagined his terrible fate they must have suspected the worst as the days passed. The image caught on CCTV footage of him buying phone credit in a shop in Kenmare on the day he vanished would have convinced them, and almost everyone who saw it, that this was not the act of a man who wanted to disappear. Yet it wasn't until the end of April, over five weeks after Michael had vanished, that gardai upgraded the case to homicide. The search for Michael Gaine was one of the largest ever seen in the country involving gardai and many other organisations as well as hundreds of volunteers yet the missing man's remains were in his farmyard. The nature of its discovery only adds to the horror as the human remains were found by a relative while spreading slurry with a local agricultural contractor at the farm. It was only then that gardai fully investigated the slurry tank on Mr Gaine's farm where more of his body parts were found. Gardaí believe that his killer cut the body into pieces that were so small, they were able to push them through gaps in the grill that were just a few inches wide. This would have meant that the murderer spent many hours cutting the body apart and it is then believed he used water and disinfectant to remove forensic evidence from the scene. As to why the slurry tank was not fully inspected in the early stages of the search remains a mystery and will no doubt will be probed when the review of the investigation takes place. But on the face of it it appears that the lessons from the infamous 'Mr Moonlight' murder case - when another killer Patrick Quirke hid the body of love rival DJ Bobby Ryan in a slurry tank - had not been learned. After painstaking detective work was found to convict Quirke of murder and he was jailed for life in 2019 but there are fears that there may not be enough evidence to find Micheal Gaine's killer. Shortly after the discovery of Mr Gaine's body parts were found, gardai made an arrest and former US soldier Michael Kelley later identified himself as the man who had been questioned. Mr Kelley, who had been living on Mr Gaine's farm for three years before moving to Tralee in April, strenuously denied any involvement in the murder. He claims he is being framed by a subversive criminal organisation. Whatever has really happened, there's little doubt that Michael Gaine's funeral that Kenmare is dealing with the loss of a much-loved family man who hadn't an enemy in the world. That much was clear from the number of friends who carried photographs or items from Michael's life to the altar as he was remembered as a man who loved life to the full.
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mourners told to remember Michael Gaine 'for how he lived, not how he died'
Murdered sheep farmer Michael Gaine has been remembered as a loving relative and proud Co Kerry man. The town of Kenmare was rocked last month when, following the disappearance of Michael Gaine, human remains found on his land were confirmed to be his. Mourners packed Holy Cross Church in the town on Saturday morning to pay their final respects to the 56-year-old and support his family. His remains were brought into the church by his wife Janice in a wood box topped with sheep's wool. Speaking on behalf of the family ahead of the funeral service, Mr Gaine's cousin Eoghan Clarke remembered him as a "proud Kerry man and an even prouder Kenmare man". He said he will be missed terribly to applause from those gathered. In his homily, parish priest George Hayes described Kenmare as a place of enchanting beauty, but said into their "peaceful, idyllic, sylvan existence" recently came something terrible. He urged mourners to remember Michael for the way he lived his life, and not for the way he died. "Over these weeks, since Michael went missing, we've asked so many questions - and, in life, sometimes, there are no answers," Fr Hayes told mourners. "But in the best tradition of Irish funerals, today is a day for recovering the dignity of Michael Gaine. "Today we recover Michael's dignity because, today, we speak Michael's name with love ... we gather to acknowledge Michael as someone who loved much and was much loved." He urged: "Let's not give in to hatred and bitterness ... let's strive for justice and fairness. "Winter will pass. Spring will come again. There will be better days, we will continue to honour Mike and speak Mike's name with love, and may Mike now rest in God's eternal care and God's eternal peace." Earlier, Mr Clarke said his cousin was known for his incredible work ethic, personality and humour, and was a loving son, sibling and uncle. He recalled his passion for rallying, farming, current affairs, holidays and music. "As we all know, Michael was generous. Incredibly generous. He had time for everyone and would chip in to help any time and any place," he said. "Michael seemed to always find the time to do the work of three men on his own farm, help out friends, family and neighbours, keep up to speed on current affairs and enjoy himself. "He loved life, he always made the most of it and he truly lived every single moment. Whether you met him during lambing or while on a trip away to a car show or rally event, he always had the iconic twinkle in his eye - the 'I'm delighted to see you', 'I'm in great form', 'let's go and enjoy ourselves' glint in his eye." He also said that Mr Gaine's wife Janice and sisters knew his soft caring side. "Caring and affectionate. Kind and considerate. He was not afraid to show his emotions. He was also brave, fearless and strong," he said. "We will all miss Michael terribly. I know I'll miss our phone calls the most, as well as that happy feeling that Michael gave you when you were with him. "He was always the glue that held the Rally of the Lakes weekend together and I will always look back very fondly on our adventures to the best spectating spots in Kerry." During the ceremony, items that symbolised Michael's life were brought to the altar. Michael's friend DJ O'Neill brought up a photo of Mike on his quad - on his 1000-acre farm, with his faithful cavalier dog Teddy, while another friend, Vince O'Shea brought up a photo of Mike on holidays. Family friend brought up a photo of the globe to show how Mike was extremely interested in current affairs and world events, while friend Edward Gibbons carried up a photo of Mike and Janice's wedding nephew Jamie O'Regan brought up a photo of Mike's family - his mother and father Jimmy and Sheila and his two sisters Noreen and Catherine, while friend Donie McCarthy brought up a CD, which symbolised Mike's love of all music.. Family friend David Dornan brought up a photo of Saint Michael the Archangel, who symbolises divine protection and strength. Meanwhile, Michael's brother-in-law Sean O'Regan brought up a photo of Mike and his rally car and his friend Shane McCarthy brought up Mike's rally helmet, as he loved all motorsports and was very interested in cars. As the ceremony ended, Fr Hayes said: "Before we go your separate ways let us take leave of our brother Michael. One day we shall joyfully greet Michael again when the love of Christ which conquers all things destroys even death itself." Mr Gaine was initially reported missing having been last seen in Kenmare on March 20. Extensive searches were carried out with assistance at one stage from the Irish Defence Forces. On April 29, gardai announced the missing person probe had been upgraded to a homicide investigation. Partial human remains were found on Mr Gaine's land on May 17 which were identified as belonging to the missing farmer. A man aged in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of Mr Gaine's murder on May 19. He was held for questioning for one day before being released without charge from Killarney garda station. For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @IrishMirror - the official Irish Mirror Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Murdered farmer Michael Gaine was not afraid to be ‘soft, loving and kind', funeral told
The requiem mass of murdered farmer Michael 'Mike' Gaine has heard that he was 'a proud Kerryman, and an even prouder Kenmare man' who was incredibly generous and would 'chip in to help any time and any place'. Mourners at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, Co Kerry were told that Mr Gaine was not afraid to show his emotions and was 'soft and loving, caring and affectionate, kind and considerate'. His cousin Eoghan Clarke said he was honoured to speak at the funeral on behalf of Michael's wife Janice. He said that Mike did the work of three men on his farm while still managing to carve out multiple hours in the day in which he helped others. 'I recall on one occasion when Mike was convincing one of his friends to head out for dinner one evening with the friend – who shall remain nameless – complaining that he was too tired. Mike shut down that argument immediately by replying: 'Sure, we're all tired'. That was Michael – he loved life, he always made the most of it and he truly lived every single moment. READ MORE 'Whether you met him during lambing or while on a trip away to a car show or rally event, he always had the iconic twinkle in his eye ... the 'I'm delighted to see you', 'I'm in great form', 'let's go and enjoy ourselves' glint in his eye. 'Michael was generous. Incredibly generous. He had time for everyone and would chip in to help any time and any place.' Mr Clarke read out a quote from a friend which he said summed up Mr Gaine's generosity and thoughtfulness better than he felt he ever could. Addressing Mr Gaine, the friend said: 'I will always remember the way you offered help before I ever even asked for it.' Eoghan Clarke, cousin of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, speaking at his funeral. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Mourners were also told of how Mr Gaine met his wife Janice on a fateful New Year's Eve. Mr Clarke said Janice had travelled from Jakarta to visit her parents in Kerry for Christmas when a young Mike, looking dapper in his dress suit, plucked up the courage to speak to her at the bar. 'Michael explained that he was heading to Australia soon and in the days before Google and smartphones, Michael explained to Janice that Garuda airlines – Indonesia's national airline – seemed to offer the best value. Janice, presumably intrigued by Michael's extensive knowledge of flight routes to and from Australia, agreed to Michael's invitation to dinner before she then returned to Indonesia in the new year. 'For the next few years, Michael kept Telecom Éireann in business, feeding coins into one of the payphones in Kenmare to speak to Janice in Indonesia and then Taiwan, where he came to visit her. The rest is history.' Mr Clarke said that Michael's interests were as varied as his friend network. They included rallying, farming, current affairs, holidays to exotic places, DoneDeal, and all music – even opera. He added that by virtue of his incredible character, Mike attracted a lot of good people into his life. 'My own friends describe their first time meeting Mike and have said that he instantly gelled with them, made them feel at ease and showed a genuine interest in them. Another beautiful quote I have seen from a friend of Michael's was 'I always left in a better mood after talking to or bumping into you.' We will all miss Michael terribly.' Mourners proceed through the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare following Michael Gaine's funeral. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA The mass was celebrated by Fr George Hayes, parish priest in Kenmare along with Fr Sean Murphy. Fr Hayes said that the shocking murder of Mr Gaine had brought 'something terrible' in to the peaceful existence of locals. 'We are discommoded and feel at a loss. Over these weeks, since Michael went missing, we have asked so many questions – and, in life, sometimes, there are no answers.' Fr Hayes said that the focus of the funeral mass was on recovering the dignity of a much loved family member, friend and neighbour. 'Today is a day for recovering the dignity of Michael Gaine. Today we recover Michael's dignity because, today, we speak Michael's name with love. And it is the dignity of Michael's life, and not the manner of Michael's death, that will abide in our hearts. Here in this place, today, we recover Michael's dignity. We speak Michael's name with love.' He asked mourners to enjoy life and to lift people's spirits in the manner in which Mike did. 'In that way, Michael and his characteristics will live on. Rest easy Michael. Until we meet again.' Offertory symbols included a photo of Mr Gaine on his quad on his farm with cavalier dog Teddy, a holiday photo, a photo of the globe representing his love for current affairs and travel, a wedding photo, a CD, a photo of St Michael the Archangel, a photo of Mike and his rally car and his rally helmet. Mourners following the funeral of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA His widow Janice Gaine led the family out of the church at the conclusion of the mass holding his urn in her arms. Poignantly, the urn was in a sheepskin-lined basket. The funeral of Mr Gaine took place 11 weeks after he went missing from his farm in Kenmare. His disappearance was initially treated as a missing persons case. It was declared a murder investigation by gardaí on April 29th. Human remains found in fields and at the Gaine's farm in Kenmare in mid-May were confirmed as being those of Mr Gaine. A man in his 50s was arrested on May 19th last in connection with the murder. He was subsequently released without charge pending a file to the DPP. Mr Gaine is survived by his wife Janice, sisters Noreen and Catherine, nieces and nephews, his aunt Noreen Fitzpatrick, his close friends DJ and Shane and his wide circle of friends.
