Search in Wicklow over Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob murders

Gardai investigating the murders of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob in the 1990s have begun a search in Co Wicklow.

An excavator is being used in the search of an area of open ground in Co Wicklow near the border with Co Kildare.

An Garda Siochana said the area will be searched and subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days.

Digging paused briefly around 4pm as gardai marked out an area with crime scene tape but excavations resumed shortly afterwards.

Over several hours, the excavator continuously dug up earth and heaped the soil on a large pile nearby while gardai watched on.

The search operation is being led by the Serious Crime Review Team.

A spokesperson said: “An Garda Siochana continue to keep an open mind into these investigations and follow up any information which is brought to the investigation team based at the Serious Crime Review Team.”

Josephine “Jo Jo” Dullard went missing on November 9 1995 while on her way home to Callan in Co Kilkenny after socialising in Bruxelles bar on Dublin’s Harry Street.

The 21-year-old missed her last bus to Kilkenny and instead boarded a 10pm bus to Naas, Co Kildare, intending to hitchhike the rest of the way home.

She hitched a lift from Naas to the slip road on the M9 motorway at Kilcullen, Co Kildare, and at 11.15pm got another lift to Moone.

There, Ms Dullard called her friend Mary Cullinan at 11.37pm from a phone box.

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

This was the last known interaction with Ms Dullard.

Ms Jacob was last seen near her home at Roseberry, Newbridge in Co Kildare at around 3pm on July 28 1998.

She was 18-years-old at the time of her disappearance and had just completed one year at St Mary’s University in London.

On the day she was last seen, Ms Jacob had walked into Newbridge town to get a bank draft to send to a college friend in London for their rent deposit.

At 2.14pm, she was observed on CCTV walking on Main Street, Newbridge and shortly after was observed in the AIB bank.

At 2.26pm, Ms Jacob was observed again on CCTV queuing in the Newbridge Post Office and at 2.32pm was seen on CCTV speaking with a friend outside the Post Office on Main Street.

The last known recording of Ms Jacob on CCTV was recorded at 2.35pm, walking outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge.

She was last seen shortly after 3pm near her family home.

An Garda Siochana said their families have been “fully appraised” of the development around the search operation.

In a statement, it added: “An Garda Siochana appeals to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant you might believe it to be to contact any Garda station, or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.”

The search comes ahead of a period of heavy wind and rain in Co Wicklow from Tuesday night until lunchtime on Wednesday, according to yellow weather warnings issued by Met Eireann.

A restriction against the use of drones in the area was also put in place.

No arrest has been made as part of Monday’s activity, which is a search operation only.