Push to find missing Munterconnaught woman

DEMAND More pressure must be put on Portuguese authorities

The Portuguese authorities came under fire at the March meeting of Cavan County Council for what some members said was their lack of support in finding missing Munterconnaught woman, Jean Tighe, who disappeared from Lisbon over two years ago.

Raising the motion, Independent Councillor Shane P. O’Reilly stated that the investigation is being “stonewalled by the authorities”.

He felt strongly that her family, some of whom still reside in Munterconnaught, deserve “some closure for this terrible situation”.

“We need to write a letter to the Portuguese Ambassador to Ireland,” suggested Cllr O’Reilly.

He also proposed writing a letter to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland, Darragh O’Brien and Tanáiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, requesting more pressure be put on the Portuguese authorities.

He concluded by stating that this was a “national issue”, which needs to be resolved.

Jean Tighe was last seen in July 2020, aged 38 years, and according to her sister Leona, who lives in New York, she often travelled alone.

Speaking to the Celt in recent months, Jean’s sister, Leona, said: “Jean was very independent and had done a lot of travelling by herself and to go to places to make friends. She was a very good person, she’d never see you stuck or lost or needing anything, but she was very streetwise and she would know if somebody was trying to pull the wool over her eyes. She spent several months in Portugal. She had been home to Ireland and had booked a flight home just before her disappearance.”

Despite being missing for over two and a half years, Jean is still not officially on the missing person’s list in Portugal, which Leona finds hard to comprehend.

An Garda Síochána confirmed: “The disappearance of Jean Tighe is being investigated by the Portuguese authorities. The disappearance of Jean Tighe was also reported to An Garda Síochána at Mountjoy and An Garda Síochána have and will continue to carry out local enquiries to assist the Portuguese authorities with this investigation.

“At all times, any information that has come to the attention of An Garda Síochána in respect of missing person Jean Tighe has been forwarded through the appropriate channels (Interpol) for the attention of the Portuguese authorities.”