Investigators Exhume Grave for IRA Victim Joe Lynskey

Investigators have exhumed remains from a grave in County Monaghan, believed to potentially be those of Joe Lynskey, a former Cistercian monk and member of the IRA, who was abducted and murdered in 1972 during the Northern Ireland Troubles. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) conducted the exhumation after receiving information about 'suspicious historic activity' at the grave site. Lynskey is one of the so-called 'Disappeared,' a group of 17 victims secretly killed and buried by the IRA, with only 13 remains recovered to date. The commission has stated that both the time frame and location of the grave coincide with Lynskey's disappearance, but the identity of the remains will require DNA testing. This development adds a significant chapter to the ongoing search for the missing victims, as the process for identifying the remains may take time. The ICLVR was established during the peace process to help locate the victims' remains, reflecting the lingering impact of the Troubles on Northern Irish society.