Mother of missing Shane Rock appeals to son to make contact

The mother of 24-year-old Shane Rock who has been missing from Duleek since Friday has appealed to her son to get in touch and let them know he is safe.

Shane's mother Majella O'Dwyer is worried sick and is pleading with Shane to make contact, saying he is not in any trouble and they just need to know he is safe.

'We are very worried. If he sees any of this and thinks he might be in trouble, he is not in any trouble. We just need him home,' Ms O'Dwyer said.

Shane, who is originally from Swords, had been living in Duleek with his aunt Carmel Dunne in the Steeples, for about two years.

The last known sighting of Shane was at around 8.50am on Friday morning, 4th August. 'One of the neighbours saw him crossing a gate into a field across the road from my sister's house,' explained Ms O'Dwyer.

She said Shane had been very unwell and had no medication with him.

Gardai issued an appeal for information on Saturday and are asking anyone with information to contact Ashbourne Garda Station on (01) 8010600. Shane is described as 5'9' in height, of slim build with brown hair and blue eyes. He was spotted on the newly installed CCTV system in Duleek the night before he went missing, but was not picked up after the last sighting.

Inspector Declan Power said there has been a massive rseponse from the civil defence which is much appreciated by Gardai and the family. He said the last confirmed sighting of Shane was going into a field opposite his house on Friday morning, which would not be unsual and he said there is a well worn path there.

Searches have been carried out in a radius around Duleek village over the past three days. Searches are being co-ordinated by Meath Civil Defence and Gardai and have involved a number of organisations including civil defence from Meath, Cavan, Dublin and Tipperary, Meath River Rescue, Leinster River Rescue, Boyne Fisherman's Rescue and Recovery Service, a Dublin Missing Persons team, and a dive team from Alpha Dive.

Ms O'Dwyer said on Sunday, over 150 people turned up to search between locals, people she knew from Dublin and Shane's friends. That evening Meath Civil Defence joined the search and at that stage the volunteers stood back to allow them get on with their search.

Ms O'Dwyer has expressed her sincere gratitude to the volunteers who came out on Sunday and all the organisations who are helping with search, as well as those making tea and sandwiches and the local shops and restaurants who have provided supplies.

Searches continued throughout Monday with a substantial area covered and resumed again at 9am this morning (Tuesday) with ground search teams from Civil Defence, Meath River Rescue and Leinster River Rescue operating. A civil defence rrone and search dog are also involved in today's search.

'We just need him home,' said Ms O'Dwyer. ' If anyone has seen him can they please let us know that he is safe and ask him to come home. 

'We are appealing to him to contact us or tell someone he is safe.'