Ireland Michael Gaine, 56, last seen buying phone credit, Kenmare Co. Kerry, 20 March 25

[StillDiggin]

Michael a well respected sheep farmer has been missing a week now and there has been lots of searches to find him. Last seen in a shop in Centra buying phone credit at 9.48am. His vehicle was found abandoned shortly after.

‘Not like Mike’ - Major search for missing farmer, 56, last seen buying credit

GARDAI have launched an urgent search for a farmer in Co Kerry who has been missing all weekend. Michael Gaines, who is also known as Mike, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on Friday…

www.thesun.ie

 

[swanniee11]

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SNIPPED:
Michael bought phone credit in Centra, Kenmare at 9.48am. Michael then left in his Bronze coloured RAV4 registration 152 KY 366. This vehicle was found parked in Michael Gaines farmyard, just off the N71 at Carrig East. More at link

LE An Garda Síochána Kerry

 

[saztina]

Something very strange about this one! Do they maybe think there was foul play? you don’t normally hear of checkpoints for missing people

 

[swanniee11]

With the car he took to get minutes for his phone was found on his property, I was thinking he made it back, maybe saw something or animals got out or something and he stopped to go look, which IMO would have him somewhere on his land. Just a thought.

 

[IndigoHigh]

Mr Gaine has been missing since last Thursday 20th if March.

He was last seen in a shop in Kenmare town shortly before 10am when he purchased phone credit.
An extensive search has been ongoing since 56-year-old Michael Gaine was reported missing.
Sniffer dogs were used while members of the Civil Defence combed some of the fields close to the farmyard.
A multi-agency search effort has included gardaí, Civil Defence, the Coast Guard, Kerry Mountain Rescue and up to 250 volunteers. Garda helicopter and drones have also been involved in aerial surveys
His farmyard remains sealed off as investigating gardaí continue with their search.

CCTV image released
New CCTV image released in search for missing farmer
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Hundreds of people have joined a co-ordinated search effort in Co Kerry for missing sheep farmer Michael Gaine.

Mr Gaine, who is also known as 'Mike', was last seen in Kenmare town at 11am on Thursday

Hundreds join search for missing Co Kerry Farmer

Garda Water Unit joins search for missing Kerry farmer
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Garda Water Unit joins search for missing Kerry farmer
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Slurry tanks emptied in search for missing Kerry farmer
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Slurry tanks emptied in search for missing Kerry farmer
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[nathan.hogan21]

Not normal for the Gardaí to push so much so quickly in a missing person's case, typically it would suggest they are being made aware of details that suggest a crime has taken place

 

[IndigoHigh]

Missing Kerry Farmer Mike Gaine left wallet and phone in jeep and 'just disappeared'
Gardai have now focused efforts on the possibility that Mike Gaine (56) met somebody and was taken elsewhere

Missing Kerry Farmer Mike Gaine left wallet and phone and 'just disappeared'

 

[nathan.hogan21]

"
GardaÍ investigating the disappearance of farmer Mike Gaine have spoken with a US citizen who lives in an old house on the property where his car was found – but he has been unable to shed light on the 56-year-old’s whereabouts.
Mr Gaine invited the man, understood to be a former US marine, to stay on the Kenmare property between three and four years ago after becoming aware he had been living rough in an area of forestry nearby."

‘It’s as if aliens came and swept Mike off face of planet’ – Locals baffled by man’s disappearance

 

[StillDiggin]

Defence Forces brought in as search for missing farmer Michael Gaine continues

Up to fifty soldiers will be searching the mountains near his home

www.corkbeo.ie

 

[LemonMint]

Army are continuing search for Kerry farmer as gardaí say they ‘will rule out every option’

The army are again searching the vast farm lands belonging to missing Kerry farmer Mike Gaine.

m.independent.ie

 

[nathan.hogan21]

Mike Gaine search: Gardaí seize items found in cave on missing Kerry farmer’s land

 

[Lucy6226]

Mike Gaine search: Gardaí seize items found in cave on missing Kerry farmer’s land

Please could you tell us what items were found, the link is subscription only

 

[FromGermany1]

Tearful appeal for missing Kerry farmer as some of his cattle sold

Regional reports from the Irish Examiner team

www.irishexaminer.com

An auctioneer broke down in tears as he appealed for information about missing Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine moments before cattle belonging to Mr Gaine were sold at auction.

 

[LadyL]

strange ... but it seems obvious he is on the property somewhere ...

 

[technicallymissing]

Please could you tell us what items were found, the link is subscription only

I was able to gain access to the linked article- they did not reveal what the items were. This is all they said about them:

Gardaí searching for missing farmer Michael Gaine have seized a number of items from a cave on land belonging to the 56-year-old.
The items were found during searches of high land on Mr Gaine’s 1,000-acre farm and are being “retained” as the investigation into his disappearance continues.
Despite the recovery of items, sources said: “There is nothing at the moment that is shedding any light on what may or may not have happened to Michael. The items may shed light on matters at a later stage.”
It is also not known at this point who the items belong to.

 

[swanniee11]

I wonder if those items are fresh or old? If old, I wonder if those items belonged to the American living in a old house on his property, maybe that guy was staying in the cave until MG came across him and offered the old house. IMO

 

[OldCop]

Missing Kerry Farmer Mike Gaine left wallet and phone in jeep and 'just disappeared'
Gardai have now focused efforts on the possibility that Mike Gaine (56) met somebody and was taken elsewhere

Missing Kerry Farmer Mike Gaine left wallet and phone and 'just disappeared'

This indicates it is highly unlikely that Mr. Gaine disappeared himself. You would not buy minutes for a phone you planned to leave behind. Coming out of the store where he bought the minutes, he might have just put his phone and wallet down on the seat beside him as he traveled back to his farm. When he arrived at the farm did he observe something unusual and set out on foot to investigate? Was he accosted by a trespasser? Did the items found in the cave indicate that someone was squatting on his property?
If someone did accost him on his property, they must have had their own means of transportation to take him away from the area.
Could it be misfortune due to accident or illness?
His vehicle was in a farmyard which is not the one closest to his residence, but the one where the former US Marine was living. Did Mr Gaine buy the sandwich and juice for the tenant? Mr. Gaine invited him to stay after he found out the man had been “rough living”. Might the tenant have some mental health issues?
His farm is quite large. Did he use an atv to get around his property?
Strange case.

 

[nathan.hogan21]

Mike Gaine search: Several weapons among items found on Kerry farmer’s land as investigation continues

A crossbow, a hatchet and other weapons are among items found by searchers in an apparent ‘make-shift‘ camp on the farm of missing Kerry farmer Mike Gaine.
Clothing and food stuff was also found in a rocky location in one of the most isolated parts of the 1,000 acre farm.

 

[technicallymissing]

dbm

 

[colombo101]

Vanished without a trace: What happened to Kerry’s missing farmer Michael Gaine?

As days pass and hope fades, a Kerry community struggles with heartbreak, suspicion, and the chilling silence of loss

www.irishexaminer.com

Where is Michael Gaine? Mood shifts in Kerry as soldiers roll in to help search for missing farmer

Kenmare mood ‘deepening into sadness’ as search stretches into third week

www.irishtimes.com