The search for a woman feared missing in North Clare has been temporarily suspended because of deteriorating weather conditions.
Gardaí from Co Offaly have been searching for 54-year-old Pauline Walsh from Tullamore who was last seen on Monday.
Gardaí earlier issued an appeal for the public’s assistance in tracing Ms Walsh.
It is now understood that Gardaí on patrol in Co Clare located a vehicle in the vicinity of the Cliffs of Moher late on Tuesday night and after initial inquiries and a search of the area, requested assistance from the Irish Coast Guard.
At around 3am on Wednesday, volunteers from the Doolin unit of Coast Guard commenced a search of the cliff walk in an effort to locate the woman.
The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, also joined the search at first light on Wednesday.
The helicopter crew carried out further searches later in the day and again yesterday flying several times between Hags Head to the south and Doolin Point to the north of the cliffs.
Volunteers from the Kilkee and Killaloe units of the Coast Guard joined in the operation yesterday assisting colleagues from Doolin and Gardaí from Ennistymon with searching a large area of coastline and lands adjacent to the cliff trail.
The search has since been suspended however because of poor weather. Coastal searches are not expected to take place today or tomorrow while a decision on whether the operation will resume on Sunday will be dependent on the weather forecast in the area.
South-westerly winds are expected to increase from strong to gale force in the area of the Clare coast over the next few days.
Gardaí in Tullamore have appealed for the public’s assistance tracing the woman’s whereabouts.
Ms Walsh has been described as being 5'7" of a medium build, with blue eyes and short blonde hair.
When last seen, she was wearing a pink fleece, black tracksuit bottoms and black runners with pink writing and trim.
While the search is being coordinated locally by Gardaí from Ennistymon, anyone with information is asked to contact Tullamore Garda Station on 057 9327600 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
