Latest news with #FordEscortMk2
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Michael Gaine murder suspect makes complaint to Garda Ombudsman over interviews by gardaí
A man who has admitted to being a suspect in the investigation into Michael Gaine's murder in Kerry has lodged a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman's office. Michael Kelley lodged the complaint with Fiosrú, formerly known as the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc), about two weeks ago. According to a source, his complaint centres around interviews that took place between him and investigating gardaí last month. In a newspaper interview, the 56-year-old American — who lived on Mr Gaine's farm for three years — openly criticised detectives. Mr Kelley was arrested on May 18 after human tissue belonging to Mr Gaine was found at his farm near Moll's Gap, Co Kerry. A large queue outside Finnegan's Funeral Home in Kenmare on Friday, as mourners gather to pay their respects to the late Michael Gaine. Picture: Dan Linehan Although he was questioned at length in Killarney Garda Station, he was released without charge, but has since confirmed he was a suspect. He denies any involvement in Mr Gaine's death. A local farm contractor, who has carried out work for the Gaine family for years, had been spreading slurry when the machinery jammed and human tissue was found. The farm was sealed off and officially declared a murder scene. The last sighting of Michael Gaine buying phone credit in Centra in Kenmare on March 20. After an extensive search, Mr Gaine's dismembered body was found in one of his two slurry tanks on May 18. The complaint to the Ombudsman comes as Mr Gaine's funeral is to be held at Holy Cross Church from 10.30am on Saturday. Afterwards, his old rally car — restored by friends — will take part in a procession around Kenmare after his funeral. Members of the Killarney and District Motor Club, who restored a Ford Escort Mk2 Mr Gaine once raced in, have organised the procession. At the head of it will be the car, with an urn of ashes, going on a lap of the town accompanied by other rally drivers from around the country. Initially, Mr Gaine's disappearance on March 20 was treated by gardaí as a missing person's case, but was later upgraded to a murder probe.
Belfast Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Garry Jennings celebrates victory at May Day Rally
Jennings was fastest on all but one of the event's five stages aboard his Ford Fiesta Rally2, his streak interrupted by the Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 of eventual runner-up, Aaron McLaughlin. Based entirely within the confines of a sun-drenched Saint Angelo Airport on the outskirts of Enniskillen, Jennings' cushion at the end of 24.4 competitive miles was 9.6 seconds. The charge of eight-time Northern Ireland Rally Champion Derek McGarrity in another Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 was halted on stages four and six when he found his path blocked by back markers. He conceded the unfortunate – and time consuming – incidents had 'just ruined the job for us' and he had to settle for third with Derrick Jobb. In the two-wheel-drive battle, Cootehill duo Andrew McIntyre and Andrew Wedlock were clear winners in their Toyota Starlet from the Ford Escort Mk2 of John and David Bonner. Meanwhile, Callum Devine has moved to within one victory of drawing level with the five-in-a-row the late Bertie Fisher recorded at the Rally of the Lakes between 1990 and 1994. Devine made a slow-start to the third round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship on Saturday, but set-up tweaks allowed him to find the sweet spot with his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and he shot to the top of the leaderboard on the first two stages of the Sunday leg. He hammered home his advantage alongside Noel O'Sullivan on the afternoon loop and went on to finish it 14 seconds clear of Meirion Evans and Ger Conway's Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, and a further 4.3 seconds to the good over the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 being campaigned this season by triple British Rally champion, Matt Edwards. 'To go and do this four times in a row is not something I had really thought of beforehand but yeah, it is pretty special. I owe a big thanks to Noel – he was absolutely fantastic over the two days and, with him being a Killarney man, this is extra special,' reflected Devine. 'It was a tough weekend, we started off a bit slow but all the guys I work with helped to get me back on track and up to speed with the other boys, so yeah, I am really pleased
Sunday World
29-04-2025
- Sunday World
Mike Gaine search: Rally drivers in special campaign to find missing farmer
Missing Kerry farmer Mike Gaine to be honored at Rally of the Lakes as search continues Kerry farmer Michael (Mike) Gaine who has been missing for five weeks. The community are baffled by his disappearance. A special plea will be made at this weekend's Rally of the Lakes to help bring missing Kerry farmer Mike Gaine home. The 56-year old has now been missing almost 40 days since Friday, March 20 and despite an almost six-week garda investigation there has been no lead into what happened to him. Mike was a great supporter of motorsport in Kerry, and a former competitor, and this weekend his friends in rallying circles have joined the ongoing search for the farmer with their own special plea. All rally cars competing in this weekend's Rally of the Lakes will carry special stickers in support of the search for missing Kenmare man Michael Gaine. Kerry farmer Michael (Mike) Gaine who has been missing for five weeks. The community are baffled by his disappearance. 'Things like this don't happen around here. It's completely out of character for Mike to just disappear'- Friends of Mike Gaine baffled by his disappearance The stickers read: 'Mike Gaine - Help bring him back - One of our own – Rally of the Lakes 2025'. Friend and rally driver Thomas Randles said this week this was something they wanted to do to help Mike. "I know Mike since he was a teenager I drew silage with him and he worked in the quarry with me. He had a fierce interest in rallying and he would go to watch stages a lot.' "Every time we do the Molls Gap stage we pass his land and when people are watching it they are standing on his land and he never objected to it.' 'This year as we pass Molls Gap we will beep in honour of him'. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Michael was a familiar sight on the stages behind the wheel of his Ford Escort Mk2 and since then interest has continued with Mike regularly attending events. The stickers were handed out in each rally pack and the cars will have Mike's picture on them with their plea and it is hoped that the latest effort to help find Mike will bring more information to light. "We would just like his disappearance to come to a conclusion. This was his sport and we wanted to do this for him,' said Thomas. The last official sighting of Mike Gaine is buying phone credit in his local Central Shop on March 20. He was officially reported missing on Friday, March 21. He left the shop in his bronze-coloured Toyota RAV 4, with the registration 152KY366. The car was found in his farm yard just off the N71 at Carraig East, Kenmare along with his phone and wallet. Since then – almost six weeks ago – gardaí have led an investigation into his disappearance but despite one of the most extensive searches ever carried out in Kerry his disappearance remains a mystery. Gardaí have described the case as 'unique and challenging'. Gardaí are examining all options, and although foul play has not been ruled out, there is no evidence of any crime. The Defence Forces has now spent four weeks searching the 1,000-acre farm, but nothing of any significance has been found. Last week Defence Forces personnel from 12th Infantry Battalion and an Engineer Specialist Search Team (ESST) from 1 Brigade Engineer Group continued their search of Mr Gaine's farm in Kenmare which spans more than 1,000 acres of difficult terrain. In the past six weeks An Garda Síochána has been helped by the Civil Defence (Kerry and Cork), Irish Coast Guard Units (Glenderry and Iveragh), Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 115, Kerry Mountain Rescue, Search and Rescue Dog Team, Kerry Fire Service and 200 civilian volunteers to help search for Mike but to no avail. To date An Garda Síochána has undertaken nearly 230 formal jobs/inquiries, taken nearly 100 witness statements and recovered about 1,500 hours of CCTV/dash-cam footage. In their latest appeal Gardaí reached out to cycling clubs in Kerry to see if any of their members were in the vicinity of the farm on March 20. However, there is still no conclusion to what has become one of the county's and country's most prominent missing cases. Mr Gaine is described as being about 5ft 10in, with a stocky build, brown/grey hair and a bushy beard. When last seen, he was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots. Gardaí have appealed to anyone with information to contact Killarney garda station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111 or any garda station
Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- Irish Independent
Mike Gaine search: Rally drivers in special campaign to ‘bring Mike home'
The 56-year old has now been missing almost 40 days since Friday, March 20 and despite an almost six-week garda investigation there has been no lead into what happened to him. Mike was a great supporter of motorsport in Kerry, and a former competitor, and this weekend his friends in rallying circles have joined the ongoing search for the farmer with their own special plea. All rally cars competing in this weekend's Rally of the Lakes will carry special stickers in support of the search for missing Kenmare man Michael Gaine. The stickers read: 'Mike Gaine - Help bring him back - One of our own – Rally of the Lakes 2025'. "I know Mike since he was a teenager I drew silage with him and he worked in the quarry with me. He had a fierce interest in rallying and he would go to watch stages a lot.' "Every time we do the Molls Gap stage we pass his land and when people are watching it they are standing on his land and he never objected to it.' 'This year as we pass Molls Gap we will beep in honour of him'. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Michael was a familiar sight on the stages behind the wheel of his Ford Escort Mk2 and since then interest has continued with Mike regularly attending events. The stickers were handed out in each rally pack and the cars will have Mike's picture on them with their plea and it is hoped that the latest effort to help find Mike will bring more information to light. "We would just like his disappearance to come to a conclusion. This was his sport and we wanted to do this for him,' said Thomas. The last official sighting of Mike Gaine is buying phone credit in his local Central Shop on March 20. He was officially reported missing on Friday, March 21. He left the shop in his bronze-coloured Toyota RAV 4, with the registration 152KY366. The car was found in his farm yard just off the N71 at Carraig East, Kenmare along with his phone and wallet. Since then – almost six weeks ago – gardaí have led an investigation into his disappearance but despite one of the most extensive searches ever carried out in Kerry his disappearance remains a mystery. Gardaí have described the case as 'unique and challenging'. Gardaí are examining all options, and although foul play has not been ruled out, there is no evidence of any crime. The Defence Forces has now spent four weeks searching the 1,000-acre farm, but nothing of any significance has been found. Last week Defence Forces personnel from 12th Infantry Battalion and an Engineer Specialist Search Team (ESST) from 1 Brigade Engineer Group continued their search of Mr Gaine's farm in Kenmare which spans more than 1,000 acres of difficult terrain. In the past six weeks An Garda Síochána has been helped by the Civil Defence (Kerry and Cork), Irish Coast Guard Units (Glenderry and Iveragh), Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 115, Kerry Mountain Rescue, Search and Rescue Dog Team, Kerry Fire Service and 200 civilian volunteers to help search for Mike but to no avail. To date An Garda Síochána has undertaken nearly 230 formal jobs/inquiries, taken nearly 100 witness statements and recovered about 1,500 hours of CCTV/dash-cam footage. In their latest appeal Gardaí reached out to cycling clubs in Kerry to see if any of their members were in the vicinity of the farm on March 20. However, there is still no conclusion to what has become one of the county's and country's most prominent missing cases. Mr Gaine is described as being about 5ft 10in, with a stocky build, brown/grey hair and a bushy beard. When last seen, he was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots.
