3782UMIRL - Unidentified Male

Horseshoe-type medal found on the victim.

Date of Discovery: July 23, 1999
Location of Discovery: River Lee near Ballincollig, Western side of the Lee Fields, Carrigrohane Road, Co Cork
Estimated Date of Death: Unknown
State of Remains: Not recognizable
Cause of Death: Drowning

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 40-60 years old
Race: White
Sex: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: Strong build
Hair Color: Unknown, short hair
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unavailable
DNA: Unavailable - No DNA profiling

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: Several layers of clothing, including two pair of trousers
Jewelry: "Philip Mercier" silver watch.
Additional Personal Items: Wooden rosary beads and three religious medals. Small horseshoe-type medal with "Good Luck MacGinty" inscription.

Circumstances of Discovery

The body was recovered from the River Lee at Ballincollig, west of Cork city, on July 23, 1999. The body was taken from the water by the Cork Fire Brigade, and it was clear that the man had been in the water for some time. His facial features were unrecognizable and it was not possible to get fingerprints due to decomposition. From the terrain surrounding where the Ballincollig man was found, the Cork Fire Service was able to say that the man had entered the water close to where his body was located.

Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a post-mortem examination, which established that the cause of the man’s death was consistent with drowning. He was aged between 40 and 60, was 5’ 10” tall, of strong build and short hair. He was wearing several layers of clothing, including two pairs of trousers, and this led the Gardaí to consider that the man might have been homeless.

He had no personal documentation but had a number of items of jewellery which still hold out the prospect of him being one day identified. “He wore a ‘Philip Mercier’ silver watch with a gold face. He had wooden rosary beads and three religious medals. He also had another small horseshoe-type medal which had a distinctive description which read ‘Good Luck MacGinty’.

Detectives checked with every MacGinty they could find, but none of them was a relative of the unidentified man. While MacGinty may well be the man’s surname, or his mother’s maiden name or the name of another close relative, the Gardaí have also considered the possibility that MacGinty may have been a nickname by which the man was known.It is a potentially good clue to the man’s identity, and detectives urge anyone with any knowledge of the name MacGinty to contact them.

DNA has been extracted from the body and filed away if ever a potential family member can be found. Until the case is solved, the unidentified man remains buried at St Patricks Cemetery, Bandon, Co. Cork. Section F, Row 11, Plot 24.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Ballincollig Garda Station
Agency Contact Person: Detective Superintendent Michael Comyns
Agency Phone Number: +353 21 4522020 or +353214214680
Agency E-Mail: CorkCity.Crime@garda.ie
Agency Case Number: N/A

Agency Name: 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

NCIC Case Number: N/A
NamUs Case Number: N/A
Former Hot Case Number: N/A

Information Source(s)

Press Reader
RTE
Gov.ie - Unidentified human remains

Admin Notes

Added: 1/16/22; Last Updated: 5/21/23