Gardai probing the murders of both Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacobs began a new search in a field on the Wicklow-Kildare border last week

Jo Jo Dullard

The sister of murdered woman Jo Jo Dullard has said “we don’t want any more loved ones to pass without answers”.

Gardai probing the murders of both Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob began a new search in a field on the Wicklow-Kildare border last week.

The 21-year-old disappeared on November 9, 1995. The last confirmed sighting of her was at a public telephone box in Moone, Co Kildare.

In her first comments since the latest dig began, Jo Jo’s sister, Kathleen Bergin, wished her mother, Nora, a happy heavenly birthday.

She wrote: “Happy Heavenly Birthday Mam. You were truly a wonderful, kind and loving person. You worked hard to provide for us all after dad passed away.

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“You faced many challenges on your own and still gave us a warm and loving home. I know how much you worried for us all and how difficult it must be for you now, looking down on us as we try to bring JoJo home. We hope that soon we will lay JoJo to rest beside you and dad.”

Kathleen continued: “We are asking those who have information, no matter how small, to please come forward.

“If you have held back on coming forward for whatever reason, we hope you find the courage to do it now, to help us bring JoJo home. JoJo was so loved and meant so much to so many different people.

“Many of our family and friends are no longer with us, including one of JoJo’s best friends Esther who passed away only last year. We don’t want any more loved ones to pass without answers.

“JoJo was on her own. She had no one to help her, but you can help her now by coming forward.

“With the ongoing search, we are also keeping Deirdre, her family and friends, in our thoughts and prayers. Please come forward and help our loved ones come home.”

Jo Jo Dullard’s sister, Katherine Bergin, pictured at a press briefing in Newbridge, Co Kildare(Image: Colin Keegan/Collins)

The search operation is being led by the Serious Crime Review Team, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation along with local Gardaí and is supported by the Garda National Technical Bureau.

In February, an area of ground in Co Wicklow near the border with Co Kildare was searched over a number of days.

Gardaí said they are keeping the families of the two women “updated in relation to these investigations and they have been fully appraised of these developments.”

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