The daughter of Bernadette Connolly has told of her pain after her mum’s remains were located in the UK eight weeks after she vanished.
Jade Connolly said this is a “tragedy that no family should ever have to bear” after she received confirmation from gardai of the discovery on a beach in Blackpool, England.
Bernadette, from Swords in Dublin, was last seen at the carpark of the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate, walking towards the entrance to the beach on January 7.
The 45-year-old was dropped there by a taxi around noon and CCTV footage issued by gardai showed her waving at the vehicle as it left.
Her jacket and her bag were later found at the other end of the beach along with her phone, which showed she had taken a picture of the coast at 12.38pm.
Yesterday, the two-month search came to an end as Bernadette’s family were informed of the tragic news.
On social media, brave Jade said: “I write this message with a heavy heart.
“My family and I have received tragic news that a woman’s body was recovered from a beach in Blackpool, UK and it is confirmed to be my beloved mam, Bernadette Connolly. We will always remember her smile, strong character, and love.
“Mam and I have had 30 years together, for that I am grateful, and our memories will live forever.
“This experience has been incredibly difficult for us and we couldn’t have done it alone.
“From day one my family and I received so much unconditional and tireless support across the nation and worldwide, for which we can’t express enough gratitude.
“As her daughter, I truly know I did all I could in my power to find her.
“We prayed for people to light a path to bring her home and we’re so grateful to have her back and can now lay her to rest.
This is a tragedy that no family should ever have to bear, we please ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving.”
As part of the massive operation to trace Bernadette, Jade had provided a DNA profile which was uploaded to Interpol for comparison when bodies were found.
The family now are working on bringing Bernadette home.
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