Gardaí renew appeal for information on 30th anniversary of Jo Jo Dullard's disapperance

Eva Osborne

Gardaí are continuing to appeal to the public for any information on the 30th anniversary of the disappearance and murder of Jo Jo Dullard on November 9th, 1995.

On November 9th, 1995, Jo Jo travelled to Dublin, where she spent the evening socialising in Bruxelles Bar, Harry Street, Dublin 2.

She missed her last bus home to Kilkenny that evening and instead, at 10pm, boarded a bus to Naas, Co Kildare.

Jo Jo then intended to hitch hike the rest of the way home to Callan, in Co Kilkenny. She hitched a lift from Naas to the slip road on the M9 motorway at Kilcullen, Co Kildare.

At approximately 11:15pm, Jo Jo hitched another lift to Moone, Co Kildare.

In Moone, Jo Jo made a telephone call to her friend Mary Cullinan at 11:37pm.

During that call, Jo Jo told Mary that a car had stopped for her and she was going to take the lift.

This was the last known interaction with Jo Jo Dullard.

The following morning, Friday, November 10th, 1995, Jo Jo Dullard’s sister, Kathleen, reported her missing and a missing persons investigation commenced.

Jo Jo was 21 years old when she disappeared. Her father, John, died before she was born and her mother Nora died from cancer in 1983.

Jo Jo was the youngest of five siblings, her sisters Mary, Nora and Kathleen, and brother Thomas.

The disappearance of Jo Jo has been the subject of a sustained Garda investigation, by the investigation team based at Naas Garda Station.

The investigation is subject to ongoing review by the Serious Crime Review Team, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

In November 2020, on the 25th anniversary of Jo Jo’s disappearance, An Garda Síochána confirmed that her disappearance was classified as a murder investigation.

An Garda Síochána was satisfied that serious harm came to Jo Jo on or about the night of November 9th, 1995.

No person has been brought to justice for the murder of Jo Jo Dullard at this time.

The investigation into the murder of Jo Jo Dullard has continued since the reclassification to ‘murder’ in 2020. The investigation has progressed and nearly 800 recommendations have been identified.

Garda investigation

30 years later, An Garda Síochána continue to appeal to the public for any information on the disappearance and murder of Jo Jo Dullard on November 9th, 1995.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone that met, saw, or has any information in relation to the murder of Josephine after 11:37pm on the night of November 9th, 1995, who has not spoken to gardaí to come forward.

In a statement, a Garda spokesperson said: "Jo Jo was in Bruxelles Bar, Harry Street (off Grafton Street), Dublin 2 on the 9th November 1995. Do you remember meeting Jo Jo?

"Jo Jo had her Sanyo Stereo cassette Player (model MGP21) with her on the 9th November 1995. Did anyone see this cassette player after the 9th November 1995; did anyone receive such a cassette player from a friend or person that could not tell you from where they received it?

"An Garda Síochána is appealing to any person who was hitchhiking in the immediate area around Moone, Co Kildare at the end of October 1995 or the start of November 1995, please come forward and speak to our investigation team.

"Or did you give a lift to a hitchhiker around the same time in the Moone area? If you did, the investigation team would like to talk to you!

"Gardaí continue to appeal to any person who may have previously come forward who felt they could not provide gardaí with all the information they had in relation to this matter, to contact the investigation team again.

"Jo Jo's family have now suffered from her disappearance for 30 years.

"An Garda Síochána is resolute in our determination to provide answers for Jo Jo's family and bring her murderer to justice.

"An Garda Síochána appeals to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant you might believe it to be, to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884 300 or any Garda station, or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111."