Missing University of Limerick student, Stephen Cullinan, will be reunited with his family later today, it has been confirmed.
Stephen, who has been missing since November 2 (Thursday), made contact with his family yesterday evening.
After three weeks of extensive searching, it is understood that the 25-year-old – who is the son of Tim Cullinan, Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) chairman for North Tipperary – has been located in the UK.
Jackie Cahill, TD for Tipperary, and Fianna Fail spokesperson on Food, Horticulture and Forestry, confirmed the news to AgriLand this morning.
“Stephen has been found alive and well in the UK. He made contact with his family yesterday and they will be reunited today.
“The Cullinan family are very grateful to everyone that helped out in the search for their son; and to the media for assisting to locate Stephen. It’s terrific news that he has been found. It’s time now to respect the family’s wishes and let them have their privacy,” he said.
Cahill was one of many public representatives to welcome the reports on Twitter late last night.
Great news this evening Stephen Cullinan has made contact with his family. pic.twitter.com/3UGqD9rEKl
— Jackie Cahill TD (@jackiecahillff) November 27, 2017
The UL computer science student, from Ballymackey, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, was last seen leaving his student accommodation in Castletroy on November 2, before heading to Dublin.
Stephen, described as 5ft 11in tall and of medium build with short fair/light brown hair, was last seen wearing a hoodie, jeans and runners – he also wears glasses.
Phone records had tracked the young man’s mobile to the St. Stephen’s Green area of Dublin on the evening of November 2, after his mother had tried to contact him.
According to CCTV footage, the young man had travelled to the south-side of the city, over O’Connell Street Bridge and onto Westmoreland Street, around that time.
Although extensive searches; and a number of leaflet drops; had been carried out by family, friends and concerned members of the public, in the city over recent weeks, there had been no further sightings of him.
The search for Stephen was being conducted by Gardai at Henry Street Garda station, in Limerick. Gardai repeatedly sought the public’s assistance in establishing Stephen’s location over the course of the last month.