WHITE DOVES and balloons were released into the sky at Donaghmede, Dublin, yesterday to mark the first anniversary of the disappearance of teenager Amy Fitzpatrick.
Her family recently appointed a private investigator in an effort to discover what happened to her.
The 16-year-old was last seen walking home from a friend's house near Mijas on the Costa del Sol at about 10pm on New Year's Day 2008.
She is originally from Donaghmede but moved to Spain in 2004 with her mother Audrey.
Her relatives and friends attended Mass in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede yesterday morning to mark the anniversary.
Afterwards they gathered outside to release 20 doves and 52 balloons, symbolising the number of weeks that have passed since she vanished.
Her father Christopher released two pink balloons with messages from him and Amy's young brother Alex. Her father's balloon read "To my princess. I miss you so much" and Alex's read "To my sister Amy. I miss you loads".
Her brother Dean released a pink balloon with the message "Miss you and I just want you home".
Amy's mother Audrey attended a similar service in Spain where she is searching for her daughter. A candlelit vigil was held in Spain and one minute's silence observed by Amy's relatives and friends.
Other members of Audrey's family, including her parents, were at the Donaghmede ceremony.
Earlier at Mass, parish priest Fr Eoin McCrystal offered prayerful support to all the family "at this very difficult time".
He said it must be the greatest horror for any family when a child disappears.
"And yet Amy Fitzpatrick's family have been living that horror every single day for the last 12 months," he said.
"There's a sense of powerlessness, I suppose, when we are so far away, as to what we can actually do but Amy was part and parcel of this community for so many years, so as a community of faith we wish to reassure her family that we are certainly with them in our prayer . . . that Amy will be returned to them safely during this coming year."
Fr McCrystal said the beginning of a new year offered hope "and it is certainly our prayer that this will be a hope-filled year for the Fitzpatricks".
He also prayed for all families of missing people.
Afterwards, Amy's aunt Christine Kenny said the family was hopeful that a breakthrough would be made on the case, following the appointment of private investigator Liam A Brady.
The mainly Dublin-based investigator took on the case several weeks ago and has set up an appeal on www.liamabrady.ie, his website.
Ms Kenny said she was "very hopeful" that a new light would be thrown on the case. The engagement of a private investigator had taken a weight off her shoulders, she said.
"It's in the hands of highly professional people and please God we will get some news very, very shortly."
The website appeal includes a message from Amy's father Christopher who wrote: "We know that there are people who have information which would help bring Amy back.
"This is a special appeal to those who, for whatever reason, have chosen to remain silent or who have not been able to share information up to now. Please, please - do the right thing and share what you know."
Mr Brady said the appeal had generated a great response. "Information is forthcoming, of course it is," he said.
"There are people who know what happened to Amy and we are definite about that."
The website also contains a confidential form which allows information to be sent on a confidential basis.
A reward is also being offered to any person providing information leading to a significant breakthrough in the case.
