‘You can help Jo Jo’ – family of murdered Kilkenny woman urge people to ‘keep the candle of hope burning’

The family of Josephine ‘Jo Jo’ Dullard have thanked the public for their support as the search for the missing Kilkenny woman continues and have asked people to “keep the candle of hope burning to help her find her way home”.

Ms Dullard went missing 29 years ago as she was on her way back to Kilkenny from Dublin on November 9, 1995.

The 21-year-old was hitchhiking home to Callan, and took a lift at Moone in Co. Kildare, but has not been seen since. The missing persons investigation was upgraded to murder four years ago.

A man in his 50s was arrested last week in connection with Ms Dullard’s disappearance and murder. He was the first suspected to be arrested in the three decades old case, but he was later released without change.

An extensive garda search on a large area of open ground near the Wicklow-Kildare border is continuing.

In a statement this weekend, Ms Dullard’s family said she was “all alone and had no one to help her” on the night she went missing. But they added: “You can help her now. Jo Jo has suffered enough and deserves to be laid to rest beside her Mam and Dad.”

The family said they would like “to thank everyone for all the lovely messages and prayers during this time”.

They added: “We really feel that both our local community and the country as a whole have been behind us every step of the way. We cannot put into words how much we appreciate and cherish this support.”

They have asked people to keep Ms Dullard in their prayers, and appealed for anyone with any information “no matter how small” to come forward.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone with information to contact Naas Garda Station on 045-884300 or any garda station.

Anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially can do so by contacting the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.