Image 2: Astride Stella Dee, the horse Priscilla Clarke was riding the day she disappeared.
Image 2: Astride Stella Dee, the horse Priscilla Clarke was riding the day she disappeared.
Name: Priscilla Clarke
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: May 3, 1988
Location Last Seen: Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland
Date of Birth: August 10, 1962
Age: 25 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 167 to 170 cm or 5'6" to 5'7"
Weight: 9 st or 126 lbs.
Hair Color: Red/Auburn
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Slim to medium build.
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Priscilla Clarke, disappeared after going horseback riding with her employer, Lynda Kavanagh, whom she worked as a live-in nanny. Lynda's body was recovered two days later from the River Dargle. The horses were found, wet, wandering in the area. Despite a search, Priscilla's body was never found.
On the day of Priscilla's disappearance, two persons were sighted on horses going onto Charleville Estate. One was recognized as Lynda Kavanagh, the other person was not identified. However, Lynda called her husband to let him know she and Priscilla were going riding.
At the time, it was thought the women got into trouble while crossing the swollen river on horseback. It had rained heavily for days before. However, Priscilla’s family feels foul play should have been further considered.
In 2008, a new investigation into the disappearance was opened following a long-awaited review of the original inquiry by the Gardai's cold case unit. Priscilla's family learned of an unidentified woman whose body washed up on a beach in Kilmuckridge and convinced authorities to exhume the body for DNA to be compared. Unfortunately, there was no match.
In October 2022, her sister Claire claims the possibility that Priscilla could have been buried in an unmarked grave, in a cemetery. She evokes the case of Denis Walsh, whose body had been kept into the morgue for 18 years and then buried anonymous, while he was reported missing and his parents were actively looking for him. She thinks a similar situation might happened with Priscilla.
Agency Name: Bray Garda Station
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 01-6665300
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: Unknown
Agency Name: Garda Missing Persons Unit
Agency Contact Person: Sergeant Carmel Griffin
Agency Phone Number: +353 1 666 9476
Agency E-Mail: missing_persons@garda.ie
Agency Case Number: N/A
An Garda Siochana - Ireland's National Police Service
Missing Irish People
Missing in Ireland Support Services
Independent News - Cold Case Probe Into Missing Nanny
The Journal - “1980s Ireland was a different world” – the injustice in the search for missing woman Priscilla Clarke
The Journal - The mystery behind the unidentified remains in Ireland’s morgues
Irish Examiner - Sister of missing Priscilla Clarke fears she may lie in unmarked grave
Added: 5/15/07; Last Updated: 10/9/22 - By: LS
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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