Gardaí have entered their seventh day searching a Kerry farm and the wider environment following the disappearance of Michael Gaine.

The 56-year-old farmer was last seen at 10am on Thursday morning in a Centra in Kenmare, not too far from his home in the Macgillycuddy Reeks area.

Gardaí have said they’re keeping an open mind in regards to the case.

Presenter of Kerry Today on Radio Kerry Jerry O'Sullivan told The Pat Kenny Show that word of Mr Graine’s disappearance first came through on Friday.

“The search began straight away; a lot of volunteers as well as a lot of emergency services – the inshore rescues, the rescue 115 helicopter,” he said.

“All the sort of search parties and organisations that would go out search when somebody went missing, particularly in the sort of terrain where Mike Gaine’s farm is.

“His farm is just off the N71 Ring of Kerry road, it’s between Kenmare and the world famous Molls Gap, which is on your way on the scenic tourism drive down into the lakes of Killarney and into Killarney itself.”

Radfahrer, Molls Gap Pass, Co. Kerry Ireland. Image: Image Professionals GmbH / Alamy. 14 December 2005

Mr O’Sullivan said Mr Gaine’s farm is a thousand acres of mostly mountainous land with sheep and some cattle.

About three hundred volunteers came out to search for Mr Gaine over the course of the weekend.

However, Gardaí said on Monday morning that they no longer needed the public’s assistance for the time being.

According to Mr O’Sullivan, there has been a lot of activity on the farm itself, including the draining of the slurry tank and the use of excavators.

There is also speculation that a diving unit may be deployed to search nearby waters, while Gardaí are attempting to trace Mr Gaine’s movements through CCTV and dashcam footage.

'Everyone is hugely upset'

Mr O’Sullivan said Mr Gaine is a “well-respected, well-liked" member of the community.

“That was reflected, I suppose, in the numbers of people who turned out to volunteer to search for Mike at the weekend,” he said.

“He’s got lots of friends in the area and really, there’s been a dark cloud, dark feeling in Kenmare ever since the news broke on Friday that he was missing.

“At first, it was anticipated perhaps maybe it was an accident, hopefully he’d be found and he’d be okay.

“As the days go on people are fearing the worst really in relation to Mike, and everyone is hugely upset and hugely concerned for his wife and for his wider family.”

Mr O’Sullivan said it is a “shocking incident” and that it is “totally out of character for [Mr Gaine] to be missing like this”.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage relating to the case have been asked to contact local Gardaí.

Main image: Michael Gaine