The street where Imelda Keenan went missing

This is the location where Imelda Keenan was last seen.

At the time of her disappearance, the 22-year-old was living in an apartment on this street with her boyfriend, Mark Wall.

Keenan has been missing since January 3rd, 1994.

Although one witness claimed that they saw Keenan on the corner of Parnell Street and Lombard Street, this sighting remains unconfirmed, as questions have been raised about whether it was a case of mistaken identity or not.

According to Keenan's boyfriend, she left their apartment at 1.30 p.m. to walk to a local post office, where she was planning on picking up a social welfare payment.

However, January 3rd, 1994, was a public holiday in Ireland. As a result, the post office would have been closed. Furthermore, the post office in question also closed for lunch between 1 and 2 p.m.

During the investigation, it was noted that Keenan's cigarettes and glasses were still in the apartment. According to her brother, Gerry Keenan, she would not have left home without these items.

Christmas presents with her name written on them also remained unopened.

Gerry believes that his sister disappeared at some point before January 3rd.

Keenan's family felt that it was strange that she didn't return home for Christmas that year. Initially, she had planned to travel back to Laois with her brother on December 23rd. However, she canceled those plans and told him that she would take a later train by herself.

This was out of character for Keenan, as she was a shy young woman who typically avoided traveling alone.

Although Keenan's boyfriend said that she had been feeling depressed, a search of nearby rivers failed to find any trace of the 22-year-old. Her family also stated that she seemed to be in good spirits at the time of her sudden disappearance.

Despite this, the gardai at the time labeled the case a "possible suicide". Consequently, no forensic examination of the apartment took place.

To this day, Imelda Keenan remains listed as a missing person.

Further information is available in the "Photos" section below.

Photos

Photos of the street and other related images.

Keenan's apartment

Imelda Keenan lived in an apartment at 4 William Street with her boyfriend, Mark Wall.

Coordinates: 52.258796, -7.104624

Google Maps Link

Map

This map illustrates the small distance between each location.

William Street

If the disputed sighting of Keenan was not a mistake, then it means that she would have walked down this section of William Street at around 1.30 p.m. on Monday, January 3rd, 1994.

Lombard Street

The witness claimed that they saw the 22-year-old on the corner of Lombard Street and The Mall/Parnell Street, beside the Tower Hotel.

Coordinates: 52.259995, -7.105532

Google Maps Link

Post office

Wall said that Keenan left their apartment to walk to this post office on Keyser Street.

However, January 3rd, 1994, was a public holiday. As a result, it would have been closed.

Coordinates: 52.261296, -7.108651

Google Maps Link

Memorial plaque

In 2009, Keenan's family erected a memorial plaque for her on the bridge beside Lombard Street and George's Quay. They visit it each year on the anniversary of her disappearance.

The plaque reads:

"Always remembered. Our darling daughter and sister, Imelda Keenan. Mountmellick, County Laois. Reported as a missing person from this street. 1993-1994.

The family decided not to put a specific date on the plaque, as they believe that she was murdered at some point before January 3rd, 1994.

One of her brothers attempted to visit her over the Christmas period. Although the light in her apartment was on, he received no answer.

Keenan liked to use citizens band radio (CB radio), which is a mobile radio system that allows people to communicate within a 30 km radius. This system was relatively popular in the days before mobile phones and social media.

According to her family, none of her CB radio friends recalled speaking to her during the Christmas period.

Coordinates: 52.259058, -7.104798

Google Maps Link

Imelda Keenan

Keenan was originally from Mountmellick, County Laois.

She was 5'3" tall and had a thin build.

At the time of her disappearance, the 22-year-old was living with her partner, Mark Wall, in a rented apartment at 4 William Street in Waterford.

She had recently finished an IT course at the Central Technical Institute on Parnell Street (these days, it is called the Waterford College of Further Education).

Please note that the two photographs above have been digitally enhanced.