GARDAÍ ARE RENEWING an appeal for information on the death of Paraic Coffey due to a fatal hit and run 1996.

The 18-year-old was fatally injured during a hit and run in Eightyeight Acres, Athboy, Co Meath in 1996 shortly after 3am on the morning of Sunday 9 June.

A vehicle struck him while he was his way home from Buck Mulligan’s nightclub in the Darnley Lodge Hotel in Athboy town along the Athboy to Dunderry road. The vehicle did not remain at the scene.

An ambulance brought him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

25 years later, gardaí say the Coffey family still have no closure despite a prolonged investigation.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have any information to come forward in a bid to bring the case to a conclusion.

“Gardaí believe that there are people with information on this incident that, for whatever reason, have not previously come forward,” gardaí said.

“Many of those who were living in the locality and who would have known Paraic were teenagers and young adults at the time of the incident,” they said.

“These people may now have their own families and as such have a deeper understanding of the unbearable loss and the overwhelming search for answers that the Coffey family have held onto for 25 years from losing a child, a son, or a brother in such circumstances.

“The nature of the incident would have led to the vehicle involved being damaged; Gardaí are appealing anyone who remembers a friend or family member who had unexplained damage to their car, or to anyone who was asked to carry out repairs on a vehicle in suspicious circumstances, to come forward.

“Gardaí are also appealing directly to the person or persons who were involved in the incident that led to the death of Paraic; it is not too late to come forward and explain what happened, and to bring closure to your own life and to the Coffey family.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Incident Room in Kells Garda Station on 046 928 0820 or the Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111.