Irish database of unidentified human remains is updated

An updated database of unidentified human remains in Ireland shows that there are now 26 unidentified full remains, 20 unidentified partial remains and 16 historical remains.

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and Minister of State, James Browne, on Friday published a second iteration of the database of information on unidentified human remains provided by coroners around the country.

Visual records, including facial images and visuals of items found with remains, have been included where provided by coroners in the dataset for the first time.

Coroners were asked to include in their 2023 return visuals of distinctive items such as jewellery, clothing, tattoos etc., found with or on the unidentified remains where they are available.

The Department of Justice received visual detail from four coronial districts comprising three facial images (inclusive of one facial reconstruction image) and two visuals of items found with the remains.

One new return in respect of a partial remain, a skull fragment, discovered in Tra Ciaran, North Harbour, Cape Clear, Co Cork on December 11, 2021, ( confirmed to be human remains) on the October 30, 2023, was made for 2023.

The database now contains details of 26 unidentified full remains, 20 unidentified partial remains and 16 historical remains.

Minister of State James Browne launched the first iteration of the database on  May 16 2023, following compilation and publication of the database for the first time.

The database is available here