One year on: '˜nightmare' for family of missing John Concannon

Mr Concannon vanished a year ago this Thursday, and despite a massive search operation involving thousands of people from across Derry, Inishowen and beyond, no trace of him has ever been found.

His brother Michael said that occasional searches were still taking place to try and find some clue about what happened to John.

“There’s been no change at all,” Mr Concannon said. “It’s been a bit of a nightmare. It’s just something we have to deal with. It’s not nice.

“It’s one of those horrible situations and you are in it; you feel powerless to do anything in a sense.”

Mr Concannon (71), who suffers from dementia, was last seen getting off the Fernabbey bus at Lenamore Road in Derry, close to the border.

It has been suggested he may have taken the wrong bus on his daily journey home from the city centre to Galliagh and become confused.

Michael said that his heart goes out when he hears of other people going missing.

“This last while back there have been quite a few people who have gone missing.

“You just hope they find the person they’re looking for quick because you don’t want it to be dragging on and for anyone to be in our situation.”

Numerous searches by land and air have been conducted across Derry and Donegal in the months since John Concannon disappeared.

Much of the searches have been concentrated along the woodlands, fields, streams and back roads of the area between Muff and Burnfoot, with the PSNI, An Garda Siochana, expert search and rescue teams and Mr Concannon’s family joined by a legion of volunteers.

Michael Concannon said people still regularly ask about the search for John.

“I would constantly be speaking to people who would say they would ‘I go on walks out that road and I always look about when I’m out in case I would spot something’.

“There are still people thinking about it.

“To a lot of people it’s still at the forefront of their minds and that gives you an idea what it’s like for the family.”

He said the support the family have received has been unbelievable.

“Even today you go into the shop and people are always coming over to you and asking if there has been any change, and people saying ‘I would be praying away for him’.”

Mr Concannon is about 5’6” tall, of medium build and with grey hair. He was wearing a black and grey beanie hat, a black coat, checked shirt and navy trousers on the day he disappeared.