A MISSING law graduate was back safely with her family last night -- after turning up at a garda station.

Caitriona Horan told surprised gardai in Pearse Street station in central Dublin that she had not been aware she was at the centre of a nationwide search until she had checked her email at an internet cafe in the city earlier in the afternoon.

The search for the 22-year-old girl switched to Ennis, Co Clare, at the weekend when staff at a hostel in the town identified her from a photograph in the Irish Independent.

Then she was spotted in a crepe and coffee shop in the centre of Dublin. By the time gardai arrived, however, she had left. Before fresh checks could be launched in the city centre Caitriona walked into the station and confessed she did not know that everybody had been looking for her.

Her older sister, Gillian arrived at the station shortly afterwards with another family member and collected Caitriona, who appeared to be "in good shape".

Caitriona, who lives with her mother at Tawnylea, Drumkeeran, Co Leitrim, travelled to Dublin last week, saying she intended staying with Gillian in Ashtown on the westside last Wednesday night.

But she failed to turn up there after meeting a friend at Trinity earlier in the evening. Her description was circulated to all garda stations when her family became concerned.

Irish Independent