The family of missing Kilkenny woman Jo Jo Dullard have said that “no matter the struggles” they face they continue to “have hope inside them that we will get to bring her home” as they mark the 27th anniversary of her disappearance.
The 21-year-old was last seen at approximately 11.37pm on November 9, 1995 when she left the village of Moone, Co Kildare while trying to make her way home to Callan, Co Kilkenny.
She had made a phone-call to a friend at a telephone box when it is believed a car stopped to give her a lift. The young woman had missed the last direct bus from Dublin which would have brought her to Kilkenny so she decided to hitch lifts after being able to travel only part of the way with another coach.
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Shortly after, a woman matching Jo Jo's description was seen leaning in the back door of a dark-coloured Toyota Carina-type car.
A memorial was erected at the spot Jo Jo was last seen in Moone by her family.
More than a year ago gardaí upgraded the investigation into her disappearance to a murder probe, while this week they renewed their appeal for information
A three-week long large-scale search of Usk Little on the Kildare/Wicklow - a woodland area was investigated by gardai after fresh information came to light.
The search also centred around the disappearance of another young woman, Deirdre Jacob who vanished in July 1998, as she made her way towards her home in Newbridge, Co Kildare. Her disappearance was upgraded to murder in 2018.
However, the search which started on October 11, last year recovered nothing of “evidential value” according to officers.
Posting a tribute to the young woman, her sister Kathleen Bergin said on Facebook that they hope “one day” they will be able to finish her journey home to Kilkenny for her.
Mrs Bergin said: “Today marks the 27th year since you went missing JoJo. On your anniversary I am reminded vividly of that night. It was wet and windy when you were stopped from making your journey home.
“I always wonder about the emotions you must have had in that moment. The sheer panic, hope and desperation you would have been feeling trying to make your way home.
We hope we can finish that journey for you. We know that Mary, Tom, (sister and brother) Mam and Dad are guiding us in our search for answers. It is now I think about a line from a poem by Emily Dickinson that says ‘Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul.’”
Mrs Bergin added: “No matter the struggles we face, we have hope inside us that we will get to bring you home. We miss you JoJo and love you dearly, we pray we will have you back home soon.
From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank everyone for their continuous support in our fight to bring JoJo home. We cannot put into words the gratitude we feel to know that we are not alone in our search for answers.
“As we are in November, which is the month of Remembrance, we will keep the candle of hope lighting for all families with missing loved ones.”
Jo Jo’s family again appealed for anyone with any information, no matter how small, to contact the Garda Confidential Helpline on 1800 666 111, the Missing Persons Helpline on 1800 442 552 or the Help Bring Them Home confidential line at 1800 911 999.
Meanwhile, the annual gathering to remember Jo Jo will take place on Sunday at 12.15pm beginning at Kilkenny Castle courtyard and walking to the national Missing Persons Monument in the Castle Park. Music will be provided by the Kilkenny Gospel Choir.
Speaking on KCLRFM Mrs Bergin added: “They’re (gardai) putting everything they can into the case and they’ve done an awful lot and our prayers are with them that, please god we’ll get the result. That we’ll find Jo Jo in the end”.
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