 Mary Reid became an academic, and had an interest in researching a medieval pilgrimage site near Lough Derg.She was found drowned on a beach on the Isle of Doagh near Ballyliffin on 29 January 2003, after leaving her home in Derry to walk her two dogs (one of which was also drowned).Several speculative theories arose surrounding her death, including that she had discovered the truth about the Holy Grail in her research, as well as several involving her past with the IRSP and INLA.