Review of Garda investigation into canal death ordered

The Garda Commissioner has ordered a “review” of the police investigation into the death of a Fermanagh woman.

The body of Kelly Lynch, from Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, was discovered on St Patrick’s Day 2024 in the Ulster Canal, Monaghan, after a night out with friends.

Gardai said at the time they were not treating the 23-year-old’s death as suspicious and referred it to the coroner following an autopsy.

After meeting with the family on Monday, Commissioner Drew Harris ordered “a review of the original investigation to determine whether there may be additional lines of inquiry.”

Mr Harris said he and Ch Supt Alan McGovern met the family and “listened carefully to their concerns”.

He has ordered a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) “external” from the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan division to conduct a peer review of the investigation into her death.

A peer review is not a reopening of the case, but involves examining the original research to identify any new lines of inquiry.