Sarah Slater
The families of two young women who have been missing 23 and 26 years respectively have marked the passing of another year without their loved ones as “the pain remains the same” without them.
Wexford woman Fiona Sinnott went missing in 1998 close to her home, while Kilkenny woman JoJo Dullard was last seen alive in Moone, Co Kildare on November 9th, 1995.
Gardai are treating the disappearance of each woman as murder.
Fiona Sinnott, 19, was a mother to an 11-month-old daughter 23 years ago, when she went missing near her rented home in Co Wexford on February 8th, 1998. Her daughter is now 23-years-old.
The young mum left her local pub, Butler’s in Broadway, 14 kilometres outside Wexford town, just after closing time, intending to walk back to her rented accommodation. This was the last time she was seen alive in public.
Her case was upgraded to a murder investigation in 2005, but no one has ever been charged in relation to the crime. The young woman has never been seen since nor has her body been recovered.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Fiona’s family said: “Another year has passed, but the pain remains the same. Its so hard not to give up hope.
“Its hard to put your faith in to those who you hoped would do the right thing by now. Not just for Fiona or her family, but for yourself. To offload the burden you carry with you day in day out.
“If you were not directly involved, but you know something then say something.”
The family thanked members of the public who have come forward with information and once again appealed to others who may have details surrounding her disappearance and death to make contact.
“To those who have come forward, thank you. And for those who helped spread our posts through likes or shares, thank you. (There are) ways of making contact (on) [email protected], Fiona Sinnott Missing Facebook page, by calling 1800 442 552 on the National Missing Persons Helpline or by anonymous letter to a local priest.”
'Hope in our hearts'
Meanwhile, Kathleen Bergin the sister of missing 21-year-old JoJo Dullard, thanked “everyone” for their “kind words and support”.
JoJo Dullard, from Callan, Co Kilkenny was last seen outside a phone box at 11.37pm trying to hitch a lift home
A year ago gardaí upgraded the investigation into her disappearance to murder.
Last October a three-week-long large scale search of Usk Little on the Kildare/Wicklow - a woodland area was investigated by gardai after fresh information came to light.
The search also centred around the disappearance of another young woman, Deirdre Jacob who vanished in July 1998, as she made her way towards her home in Newbridge, Co Kildare. Her disappearance was upgraded to murder in 2018.
Ms Dullard’s and Ms Jacob’s families have campaigned continuously for information on them and were driving forces behind Operation Trace, set up by former Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne in 1998 to investigate the cases of six young women who disappeared from the Leinster area over a five-year period.
However, the search for clues into the disappearances of both women which started on October 11th, recovered nothing of “evidential value” according to officers.
Posting a tribute to her sister on social media Kathleen Bergin said: “We start 2022 with hope in our hearts that we can help JoJo finish her journey home.
“We would like to thank each and every one of you for your kind words, support and prayers through all these years and for sharing JoJos page in the hope that one day soon we will be able to bring JoJo home.
“For the people who have come forward with information over the years thank you so much for finding the courage to help us. If anyone has information no matter how big or small, we ask you to please come forward. We wish you all a happy, health and safe 2022”.
