At the time of her disappearance Claire Boylan was 36 years of age, single and living with her parents in Terenure an upmarket South Dublin suburb. Terenure is also the same neighbourhood where Eva Brennan attended church on the day she disappeared. Claire like Eva was described by her family as “shy and retiring and a creature of habit.”

On the morning of Sunday the 2nd of March 2003 Claire informed her family that she intended to travel to Tullamore Co. Offaly to meet an old school friend, and left her family home. However, Claire’s friend informed Gardi that Claire never made contact with them to arrange a visit on the 2nd of March, nor did Claire contact her friend subsequently. No evidence has emerged that Claire travelled the sixty mile distance from South Dublin to Tullamore, she did not own a car and it is most likely she would have had to travel by bus or train.

Prior to Claire’s disappearance her friends and family said that she had been feeling tired due to being very busy in work. Claire was the manager of a bookstore in the South Dublin Suburb of Rathmines. Despite being tired from work, Claire did not exhibit any signs of someone planning to disappear according to her friends, family and co-workers. The fact that none of Claire’s personal items were missing from her home seems to indicate that she was not planning to disappear, her passport was also found amongst her personal items. The only item that was confirmed missing was a waist-length blue jacket with a yellow collar, it is presumed that Claire was wearing this jacket on the 2nd of March 2003.

When Claire failed to show up for work on Tuesday the 4th of March, her brother Bernard decided to report his sister missing to Gardi at Terenure Station. Claire was a very diligent and punctual person, thus her failure to attend work was highly out of character and rightfully raised concerns with her family. Bernard Boylan informed the Irish Times during April of 2003 of the circumstances that led to him reporting his sister missing “She had a day off on the Monday so when she didn’t come back on that date, we were not too worried. But it would be very unlike her not to go to work on Tuesday. She is the shop manager and is not the type of person to leave people in the lurch, she is very conscientious.”

After Bernard had reported Claire missing numerous sightings of Claire in the Terenure area were reported. Her family also told Gardi that Claire “often went walking around Terenure.” These reported sightings stopped around the 15th of March 2003 just under two weeks since Claire was last seen at her parents’ home. Claire Boylan has a total of five siblings three of whom live in Dublin whilst the other two live in Germany and America, unfortunately Claire has not contacted any of her siblings since the day she vanished. Whilst in her 20s Claire attended university in Wales (UK) and had made some friends throughout Scotland, England and Wales. These friends have since been contacted and just like Claire’s family they’ve had no contact with her.

Unfortunately it is almost nineteen years since Claire Boylan disappeared from South Dublin and no resolution has been given to her family. Nor has any evidence emerged as to where Claire may be or if she was the victim of a crime.