AN appeal for information has been issued 28 years after a young Irish woman was last seen near her home in Co. Kildare.
Deirdre Jacob was 18 when she went missing. She was last seen at around 3pm on July 28, 1998 near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge.
The young woman had returned to Ireland from London for the summer after completing her first year at St Mary’s University in Twickenham.
On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance Gardaí upgraded the case to a murder investigation.
Today marks the 28th anniversary of the last sighting of Ms Jacob and her family have appealed for anyone who may know something of what happened to her to come forward.
“Deirdre was 18-years-old in 1998,” a Garda spokesperson said in a statement.
“She was a young woman starting off her life, who had just completed one year at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London,” they added.
“Deirdre enjoyed her life in London and was looking forward to returning to college that September. She would be 46-years-old this year.”
On the day she went missing, Ms Jacob had walked into Newbridge town to get a bank draft to send to a college friend in London for their rent deposit.
Deirdre Jacob was last seen on July 28, 1998She is seen on CCTV walking on Main Street Newbridge at 2.14pm that day and then seen in the AIB bank getting a £100 bank draft.
Further CCTV footage shows Deirdre queuing in the Post Office and then speaking with a friend outside the Post Office on Main Street.
At 2.35pm the last CCTV sighting of Deirdre records her walking outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge.
“Deirdre was last seen shortly after 3pm near her family home outside Newbridge,” the police force confirms.
“She was 5’3” in height with a slim build. She had grey/green eyes and dark, chin-length hair.
“When she went missing on July 28, 1998, Deirdre was wearing a navy, v-neck t-shirt with a white trim on the collar and sleeves, navy or black straight jeans and blue Nike runners.”
A distinctive black satchel, with the word CAT written in large yellow capital letters on the side, which Ms Jacob was carrying in the day has never been found.
“There has been a 28-year investigation into Deirdre’s disappearance during which significant enquiries have been carried out to establish her whereabouts and to investigate the circumstances in which she disappeared,” a garda spokesperson said.
“On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance An Garda Síochána confirmed that the missing person investigation had been upgraded to a murder investigation,” they added.
“The murder investigation continues to be conducted by Detectives attached to the Kildare Divisional Serious Crime Office, under a Senior Investigating Officer.
“An incident room remains in place at Newbridge Garda Station and An Garda Síochána regularly update Deirdre’s parents, Michael and Bernadette, and her family through a designated Family Liaison Officer.”
They explained: “Deirdre’s family and the Garda investigation team urge any person or persons with information in relation her murder to please come forward.
“An Garda Síochána are reminding the public that if you have information about Deirdre’s murder, not to assume that we already know it, or that is has limited value.
“Anyone with information in relation to this investigation should contact the investigation team at Newbridge Garda Station at (045) 440 180, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
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See More: Deirdre Jacob, Ireland, Kildare, London, Missing
