It’s 31 years today since Josephine “JoJo” Dullard was last seen.
The local woman travelled to Dublin on the 9th November, 1995 to socialise in Bruxelles Bar on Harry Street, but missed the last bus back to Kilkenny and instead boarded one to Naas in County Kildare at 10pm from where she would hitch home.
She was due to start a new job the following day in Callan.
JoJo got a lift from Naas to what is now the slip road on the M9 at Kilcullen, Co Kildare and at about 11:15pm hitched another lift to Moone, Co Kildare where she rang friend Mary Cullinan at 11:37pm from a public phone box.
During that call, JoJo told Mary that a car had stopped for her and she was going to take the lift – this was the last recorded interaction with the then 21 year old.
The following morning, one of JoJo’s sisters reported her missing and a missing person investigation subsequently began, one which has continued for three decades and one which is subject to ongoingn review by the Serious Crime Review Team, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
That investigation was upgraded to one of murder in November 2020, on the 25th anniversary of her disappearance.
Nobody has as yet been brought to justice for the murder of JoJo.
However, nearly 800 recommendations have been identified, these have informed and generated new lines of enquiry which have been actioned by the investigation team which is based at Naas Garda Station.
A number of search operations have been conducted, includeing on open ground in County Wicklow close to its border with Kildare.
The youngest of five siblings, JoJo never knew her father John who had died before she was born while her Mother Nora died from cancer in 1983. The family was well-liked and well-regarded in the village of Newtown, between Kells and Callan.
Sister Kathleen last week appealed for anybody with information to come forward while on The KCLR Daily ahead of yesterday’s annual gathering at Kilkenny Castle for the walk to the National Monument to Missing People on the grounds – listen back to that here;
Garda Appeal
Thirty-one years later, An Garda Síochána continue to appeal to the public for any information on the disappearance and murder of Jo Jo Dullard on 9th November 1995.
They’re keen to hear from anyone who met, saw, or has any information in relation to the murder of JoJo after 11.37pm on the night of 9th November 1995, in particular those who have not yet spoken to Gardaí, for whatever reason, to please come forward.
Perhaps you met her at Bruxelles Bar off Grafton Street on that date or came across a disgarded Sanyo Stereo cassette Player (model MGP21)?
Investigators are also appealing to anyone who was hitchhiking in / around Moone at the end of October 1995 or the start of November that year to contact them, while also asking those who gave lifts to hitchhikers at the time in that area to also get in touch.
Jo Jo’s family have now suffered from her disappearance for over 30 years and any small piece of information could hold the key to unlocking what happened to her.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána’s told KCLR News their team “Is resolute in our determination to provide answers to Jo Jo’s family and bring her murderer to justice”.
Naas Garda Station can be contacted on 045 884 300 or you can ring any Garda station or use the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
