Nairac, a 28-year-old Grenadier Guardsman, was abducted from the Three Steps Inn pub in Dromintee, south Armagh, in the early hours of May 15, 1977, killed and secretly buried by the IRA.

At the time, he was working undercover, posing as a Republican and using a false name.

Although several people were imprisoned for Nairac’s murder, his remains were never found.

He became one of 16 people known as the missing – those killed and secretly buried by paramilitaries during the Troubles.

His body is believed to be buried somewhere just over the border in County Louth.

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) was created following the Good Friday Agreement, tasked with locating the missing.

To date, four of the missing have not yet been found: Seamus Maguire; teenager Columba McVeigh; former monk Joe Lynskey; and Naïrac.

Following confidential information received by ICLVR, investigators began searching for Nairac’s remains on a small plot of farmland in the historic Hill of Faughart area, north of Co Louth.

ICLVR co-curators Tim Dalton and Rosalie Flanagan announced that the search had ended without success.

“It is bitterly disappointing that the search for the remains of Robert Nairac has ended without success and our thoughts are with the Nairac family, in particular his sisters Rosemonde and Gabrielle,” they said in a joint statement.

“The investigation and research team have done all they can to come to a positive outcome, but it is clear that more information is needed, and we are appealing to anyone with information to come forward with it. the commission.

“They can do so knowing that their identity and any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.”

ICLVR lead investigator Jon Hill has requested further information to assist in the search for Nairac.

“We were looking for a relatively small area, less than an acre, and we did that because the information we had was credible,” he said.

“The fact that we have not found the remains of Robert Nairac changes nothing.

“Based on our experience during other searches, even though we were in the right area, the precise location was not found on the first try.

“There’s always a concern that once we know we’re starting a search in a particular area, we assume we have all the information we need and that people who might help us might think we don’t. There is no need for them to talk to us.

“Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Anyone who has information that may be helpful should come forward and, as the commissioners have made clear, this information and their identity will be treated in the strictest confidence.

“Our only interest is to return the remains of Robert Nairac to his family so that he can rest after a funeral worthy of the name.

“Not being able to do this for almost 50 years is a source of great pain and anguish for his now elderly sisters and for his entire family.

“We must be able to end this suffering.

“Anyone with information about any of the four outstanding missing persons cases – Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, Robert Nairac and Seamus Maguire – should contact ICLVR.

“All information is treated with the strictest confidentiality.”