Gardai investigating the discovery of skeletal remains by an old railway line in Cork say they have yet to be linked to any known missing person or active investigation.
However, they have released more information on the remains this morning, saying they are of a woman, who was dressed in a nightdress and was in her 70s at the time of her death. Gardai say it is not a historical case and the remains may have laid by the railway line for around a decade or so.
Gardai have also confirmed that DNA sampling has ruled out the remains as being those of Tina Satchwell - who has been missing from her home on Grattan Street in Youghal since March 20th, 2017.
At a briefing held in Midleton this morning, Superintendent Adrian Gamble said that despite intensive investigation - including DNA testing and an examination by the State Pathologist - the remains have "not been identified to any known missing people or other investigation currently ongoing at this time."
The grim discovery of a human skull and other skeletal remains was made by workers on the old Midleton to Youghal rail line on January 5th - Corkbeo reports.
Gardaí immediately cordoned off the area near what's known locally as the Shanty Bridge at Roxboro, about 3km from the town.
The remains were discovered by a crew working on the new greenway which will follow the old line, which has been out of use since the mid-1980s.
Gardai initially thought the remains were those of a male, with local historians speculating that they could be those of one of a number of British soldiers that went missing in the area during the War of Independence.
However, further examination, including radio carbon dating, DNA sampling and work carried out by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster and forensic anthropologist Dr Lorraine Buckley - at the scene and later at Cork University Hospital -have established more facts about the remains.
Gardai say they are of a woman who was in her 70s at the time of her death. She was small of stature, between 5 foot and 5 foot 2 inches in height, wore dentures and suffered from arthritis.
They have also released a picture of a nightdress found at the scene which she is believed to have been wearing at the time of her death.
Superindendent Gamble has again appealed for the public to help with the investigation - saying the extra information they have now released could help jog memories.
