Case No. 1851Missing person · Co. Kerry · 20 Mar 2025
Garda Commissioner says no leads in Michael Gaine missing person investigation
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed at the AGSI annual conference in Killarney on 15 April 2025 that investigators have no leads in the case of missing Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, 56, who was last seen in Kenmare on 20 March 2025. The case remains a missing person investigation with no indication of foul play.
- Reported11 Apr
4 reports - Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced15 Apr
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports61 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMichael Gaine, 56, vanished from his farm yard just outside Kenmare on 20 March. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHis RAV4 jeep was found parked in the farmyard just off the N71 at Carrig East on the morning of Friday, 21 March. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was wearing an orange woolly hat, a black fleece, blue jeans and black boots when last seen. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man was seen working on Michael Gaine's jeep on the morning of Friday, March 21 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe jeep was a Toyota RAV4 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man known to Mike was found underneath the jeep fixing the brake pads (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA bow and arrows and a hatchet were discovered inside a cave on the 1,000-acre land owned by the missing man (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMichael Gaine is 56 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA sofa and two armchairs valued at over €5,000 were stolen from a property in Kenmare. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe was selling sensory toys for children with special needs via a website. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree of the 2019 charges related to a bogus trip to Lapland she claimed to be organising in 2016 while living in south Co Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe farm is located near Molls Gap and just outside Kenmare town (irishmirror.ie)
- whereShe lived in Cahersiveen and Kenmare, Co Kerry, for three years to the end of 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whereGaine lived just outside Kenmare, Co Kerry (irishmirror.ie)
- whereGaine was last seen in a Centra store in Kenmare on 20 March (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMichael Gaine was last seen on Thursday, March 20th, in the Centra on the outskirts of Kenmare, buying phone credit. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe search for Michael Gaine entered its fourth week (irishmirror.ie)
- whenShe was arrested outside a post office in Tralee in July for social welfare fraud of €60,334.35. (irishtimes.com)
- whenIn May 2019 she was convicted in Cork on four fraud and theft charges. (irishtimes.com)
- whenGaine disappeared on 20 March 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationSuperintendent Dave Callaghan appealed for Michael Gaine to come forward if he is alive. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí made 230 enquiries, took 100 statements and gathered over 1,500 hours of CCTV footage. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe search involved multiple garda units, helicopters, drones, Civil Defence, Defence Forces, Coast Guard and over 250 volunteers. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are seeking information from anyone who travelled on the N71 on 20 March after 9:48am. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí want to speak to anyone with camera footage from 20 and 21 March in the Kenmare town, Molls Gap, N71 area. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí issued a renewed appeal for information on Michael Gaine's disappearance three weeks after it occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSupt Dave Callaghan spoke to media outside Kenmare Garda station on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationExtensive searches and inquiries were coordinated from an incident room at Killarney Garda station over three weeks. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationNearly 230 formal jobs or enquiries were undertaken. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationNearly 100 witness statements were taken. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationApproximately 1,500 hours of CCTV and dashcam footage were recovered. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí could not rule out the possibility that Michael Gaine was still alive. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationPersonnel from the Defence Forces had been searching the mountainous farmland and its surrounds for the last 10 days. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe multi-agency search effort began on March 21st. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationEarly stages of the search involved the Gardaí, Kerry Mountain Rescue, Civil Defence and Kerry Fire Service. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationHundreds of volunteers from the local area combed the rough terrain in the early stages of the search. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe jeep was seized by officers later that day and taken away for forensic testing (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe search involved multiple garda units, helicopters, drones, the Civil Defence, Defence Forces, Coast Guard and over 250 volunteers (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí have no leads in the Michael Gaine case (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe case is still being treated as a missing person investigation (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA massive search involved gardai, Defence Forces members and civilians (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí conducted CCTV recovery, dash cam recovery and house-to-house inquiries (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí have not indicated to the Justice Minister that they believe Gaine was murdered (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeShe pleaded guilty to the theft charge. (irishtimes.com)
- courtCookes was brought before the courts in Killarney, Co Kerry, on Tuesday morning. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to a further three months' imprisonment. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to three years for the social welfare fraud last month. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceA 14-week suspended sentence was imposed for the 2019 Cork conviction. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMichael Gaine was described as a popular, well-known face in the tight-knit town of Kenmare. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMichael Healy Rae is a local TD and Minister of State for Agriculture (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe family has appealed for privacy (irishmirror.ie)
- otherShe is currently serving a prison sentence for a €60,000 social welfare fraud. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe was taken from Limerick Prison to court. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe is originally from Gloucester. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe was arrested in Tralee as part of the social welfare inquiry. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe claimed online she was making the toys with a 3D printer, but no toys were ever delivered. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe sublet the property in Kenmare via Airbnb without permission. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe posed as a terminally ill writer named Carrie Jade Williams and won awards for her writing. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe secured Arts Council grants in 2021 and 2022 totalling €36,250. (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe is not terminally ill. (irishtimes.com)
- otherJustice Minister Jim O'Callaghan visited Castleisland Garda Station to be briefed (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Apr2025Garda Commissioner gives stark update on Michael Gaine probe
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed no leads exist and the case remains a missing person investigation. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said gardai have not indicated they believe Gaine was murdered.
victim, Michael Gaine, 56, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Gaine - 15 Apr2025Serial fraudster Samantha Cookes convicted over theft of sofa and two armchairs
Reports the conviction and sentencing for the theft, and provides extensive background on Cookes's serial fraud history including a €60,334 social welfare fraud, Arts Council grants totalling €36,250 under a fake identity, a 2019 Cork conviction for fraud and theft, and a 2011 fraud conviction in Britain.
convicted, Samantha Cookes, 36, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Samantha Cookes - 13 Apr2025Gardai probe claims man was 'working' on missing Michael Gaine's jeep
New details on a man seen working on Gaine's jeep, seizure of the vehicle for forensic testing, discovery of a bow, arrows and hatchet in a cave on his land, and Superintendent Callaghan's update confirming 230 enquiries, 100 statements and over 1,500 hours of CCTV as the search enters its fourth week.
victim, Michael Gaine, 56, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Gainesuspect, male - 11 Apr2025Gardaí renew appeal for information on disappearance of Michael Gaine
Renewed appeal with details of the scale of the search effort, items found on Gaine's land, Defence Forces involvement, and confirmation that the investigation remains active with no leads ruling out he is still alive.
victim, Michael Gaine, 56, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Gaine - 11 Apr2025'If you're alive, let us know' - Garda plea to missing farmer as mystery deepens
Superintendent Dave Callaghan's media briefing on 11 April 2025 detailing the scale of the search (230 enquiries, 100 statements, 1,500 hours CCTV, 250+ volunteers, Defence Forces, Coast Guard, helicopters, drones), items found on the farm (bow, arrows, hatchet), the last confirmed sighting at Centra Kenmare at 9:48am on 20 March, the RAV4 found at Carrig East on 21 March, and the ongoing appeal for N71 witnesses and camera footage.
victim, Michael Gaine, 56, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Gaine