Gardaí issue fresh appeal on 40th anniversary of disappearance of schoolboy Philip Cairns

GARDAÍ HAVE ISSUED a fresh appeal on the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of schoolboy Philip Cairns.

Cairns disappeared as he walked from his home to his school, Coláiste Éanna, in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, on 23 October 1986.

He was 13 when he vanished.

Cairns left school at 12.50pm and walked home before beginning the walk back to Coláiste Éanna at 1.30pm from his house. This was the last time his family ever saw him.

Six days later his school bag was found, a lane way near the school linking Ann Devlin Road and Ann Devlin Drive.

At the time, he was wearing his Coláiste Éanna school uniform, a grey jacket with black shoulder corners, grey school trousers, grey shirt and school pullover and was described as 5ft 2in in height.

Since his disappearance, gardaí have followed over 1,600 lines of enquiry, and they are now issuing a renewed appeal for information.

They said renewed media attention and interest in the case have brought some new pieces of information to them in recent months.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone with any information on the disappearance Cairns to not assume that An Garda Síochána has that information, or that it is not relevant, no matter how insignificant they think it may be.

They are asking those to contact the garda investigation team.

They are particularly appealing to those who may not have been able to provide information at the time because they were young or are now in a position to come forward based on recent media attention or because they have so far chosen not to.

Gardaí said these people would be treated sensitively and discreetly by investigating gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Rathfarnham garda station on 01 666 6500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Cairns’ mother Alice passed away “suddenly but peacefully” in November last year.

She was predeceased by her husband Philip and was the “cherished mother” of Mary, Sandra, Helen, Suzanne, Philip and Eoin.

Mrs Cairns is also survived by her six grandchildren, six siblings, extended family and friends.

In 2016, Mrs Cairns told RTÉ Radio that she had only started to accept in the last year or two, since her husband Philip died, that her son would not be coming back.

For decades, she said she had clung to the hope that Philip would return.