By Julie Waters
THE sister of murdered Bangor woman Lisa Dorrian has praised actor James Nesbitt after he made an emotional plea for information to help bring her body home.
Lisa’s sister Joanne, who has relentlessly campaigned for the return of her sister’s body so she can be buried with their mother Patricia, praised Mr Nesbitt’s ‘dedicated support’ for her family and those of the Disappeared.
A patron of the Wave Trauma Centre, which works with victims of the Troubles and their families, Mr Nesbitt made his recent appeal on RTE’s The Late Late Show.
The actor urged anyone with information about the location of Lisa, who was last seen alive in 2005, to come forward and ease the local families’ anguish.
“I beg people, if they have got anything, have a look into your conscience and contact us,” said Mr Nesbitt.
He has been an active campaigner on the recovery of the Disappeared – victims who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles.
However, Mr Nesbitt, also appealed for information regarding the 25 year-old woman who was last seen in a Ballyhalbert caravan park on February 27, two decades ago.
Despite hundreds of extensive search operations and thousands of lines of enquiries, Lisa’s body has never been found and those responsible for her murder have not been brought to justice.
Speaking to Patrick Kielty, the Friday night show’s host, Mr Nesbitt said: “All the families that are still without their loved ones’ remains want the same thing. They want to have a funeral, or a wake or a grave they can tend to. We all know how important it is to bury our loved ones.”
Mr Nesbitt appealed to anyone with information to contact the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR). To date 13 bodies have been found, however the bodies of a further four victims and Lisa have not been found.
Mr Nesbitt said it was ‘incumbent on all of us to try and support them’ and ‘if there is anyone out there who has any information on where the remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey, Seamus Maguire, Robert Nairac and Lisa Dorrian, who was disappeared in 2005 – if you have any information please contact the ICLVR’.
Lisa’s sister Joanne, thanked Mr Nesbitt for helping to raise awareness about her sister’s disappearance. “We are so grateful for Jimmy and everything he has done and continues to do for the families of the Disappeared,” she said.
“It is evident to see he speaks with empathy and passion, it is not a token gesture, it is dedicated support to the families, and trying to bring those who are missing home to their families.
Said Ms Dorrian: “It was very emotional to hear him speaking. Just having someone on that platform, we are trying every day to get information, so it is just amazing.
“His video has received 850,000 views, it is one of The Late Late Show’s top links. It just shows how current the issue of the Disappeared is in Northern Ireland and Ireland.” Ms Dorrian also praised the Wave Trauma Centre for its continued support.
