THE family of a Kerry businessman who went missing in France nearly two months ago were relieved and delighted when he made contact with police in Paris this week.
Mystery had surrounded the disappearance of 47-year-old Lis-towel travel agent John Kennelly.
The father of three vanished on Sunday, September 9, having last been seen leaving the Meridien Etoile hotel at 7am for a morning stroll.
On Monday morning, almost two months later, he presented himself to police in Paris. He is now believed to be receiving medical treat-ment in the French capital.
He had travelled to France with his wife Marie and their two adult children to attend a furniture trade show.
Mr Kennelly, who had been due to take a flight to Cork that Sunday afternoon, was filmed on CCTV leaving his hotel.
The Listowel man had been carrying a small rucksack containing books and his passport.
He had told his family he was taking a walk around the city and would meet them at the hotel at 10am, in time to leave for the airport.
But he never returned and his family did not know of his whereabouts until earlier this week.
A number of people had joined members of Mr Kennelly's family in the search for him in Paris. French privacy laws had prevented the family from publishing his picture in newspapers or from showing it on television in France.
Soon after presenting himself to police in Paris, Mr Kennelly was taken away immediately for medical assessment, according to the family’s solicitor Louis McDonagh, who described the “tremendous relief” experienced by the Kennelly family and praised the community spirit shown.
“Everybody in the locality was very supportive of the family and quite a few made the journey to Paris to assist in the search,” said Mr McDonagh.
A statement released by the Kennelly family expressed gratitude to all who had assisted them.
“The family of John Kennelly is pleased and relieved to learn that John has been located in Paris. John is receiving medical attention and family members have travelled to Paris to be with him at this time,” according to the statement.
“At present John’s family has no more details other than those already in circulation. John’s family is extremely grateful to all those who have lent assistance of any type and who rallied to their aid during recent weeks.”
“At this time John Kennelly’s family requires that they be allowed time and privacy to be reunited with him,” concluded the statement.
Family friend and Kerry North Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan, who travelled to Paris to help in the search, welcomed the news that Mr Kennelly had been found.
“This will come as a great sense of relief to John’s immediate family, his many friends and relatives and the local Listowel community,” said Deputy Deenihan.
Mr Kennelly, who owns Kennelly Travel, Market Street, Lis-towel, is well known in north Kerry. He is a former Kerry minor football goalkeeper and a member of Listowel Emmets GAA Club.
|
