Kerry farmer Michael Gaine will be laid to rest next weekend after a funeral Mass in his native Kenmare.
Gardaí have returned his remains to his family following the completion of a postmortem.
Mr Gaine’s disappearance is being investigated by gardaí as suspected murder.
Mr Gaine (56) was last seen alive on March 20th when his image was caught on CCTV footage at a shop in Kenmare. Gardaí believe he was murdered soon after this when he returned to his isolated farmyard at Carrig East, six kilometres from Kenmare town.
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In late April gardaí upgraded their missing persons case to a homicide inquiry. On May 16th, human remains were found by his nephew while spreading slurry with a local agricultural contractor at the farm. Gardaí recovered Mr Gaine’s dismembered remains from fields and a slurry tank.
Following a postmortem by State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis, the remains have been returned to Mr Gaine’s family for the funeral next weekend.
Mr Gaine is survived by his wife, Janice; sisters Noreen and Catherine; nieces Emma and Rachael; nephews Jamie and Mark; and brother-in-law Sean O’Regan.
He will lie in repose at Finnegan’s Funeral Home in Kenmare on Friday.
His requiem Mass will take place at 10.30am on Saturday with a private family burial afterwards.
His funeral notice on Rip.ie says he will be “sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken wife”, family and wide circle of friends in the farming and rallying community and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Garda investigation into Mr Gaine’s homicide is continuing following the arrest and release of a former US soldier, Michael Kelley (53), on May 17th for questioning about the death. He was released without charge after being held and questioned for 24 hours.
Mr Kelley, who is from Maine, denies having any involvement in Mr Gaine’s disappearance.
Mr Kelley had been living alone at the old farmhouse at Carrig East, some five kilometres from where Mr Gaine lived, where he used to help out with farm work in return for accommodation. He is now living in Tralee.
