Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Everybody's heart should break for relatives of the Disappeared'

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby pays a visit a to the peace wall in Cupar Way, in west Belfast

Michael McHugh

October 02 2014 02:59 PM

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said everybody's heart should break for relatives of one of the IRA's Disappeared victims.

Remains thought to be those of newlywed Brendan Megraw, from west Belfast, were discovered by a drainage ditch in the Republic of Ireland yesterday.

He was abducted by the IRA on in April 1978, murdered and secretly buried.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said: "The fact of what happened they will have known for a long time but the reality is always brought home with the utmost horror and cruelty and sadness when they face these situations, when you find the body.

"I have been in places where this has happened before and it is a dreadful moment, everybody's heart should break when they think of what that family is having to face."

The body was found in the middle of Oristown bog, Co Meath.

Following preliminary examinations at the scene, the remains were placed in a wooden coffin yards from where the man's brother Sean was comforted by relatives.