A WOMAN who telephoned gardai about the missing Kilkenny woman, Ms Josephine Dollard, indicated she knew Ms Dollard had been taken to Carlow.
The call is the first possible breakthrough in the case for more than two months.
The woman rang the 999 emergency number shortly after midday on Monday and the call was received by the Garda at Harcourt Square in Dublin. Gardai who listened to a tape recording of the call later found some of what she said was unclear.
The woman said I probably should have . . . [interference on line] earlier, but I didn't. The Dollard girl went to travel Carlow. I know that. The woman then hung up.
Gardai have appealed to the caller to telephone again. They are taking the call as being genuine and are now concentrating inquiries in Carlow rather than in Co Kildare, where Ms Dollard was last seen as she travelled home to Callan, Co Kilkenny, on November 8th.
However, the call is the first indication that someone who knows what happened to Ms Dollard is prepared to give information about it. The caller has been offered "absolute confidentiality" by gardai.
The missing woman was seen making a telephone call from a public kiosk in the village of Moone, Co Kildare, shortly after 11.30 p.m. on November 8th. Subsequent possible sightings of Ms Dollard were made in the village of Castledermot, Co Kildare, farther along her route home.
Until Monday she belief was that Ms Dollard may have been taken to Castledermot in a dark coloured Toyota Carina car.
She was seen walking towards the car from the Moone kiosk by a passing motorist but was not seen getting into the car. The rear door of the car was open, suggesting the front passenger seat was already occupied.
Gardai believe the Castledermot sightings were accurate and have been concerned that despite the publicity surrounding the case no one came forward to say they had taken Ms Dollard from Moone to Castledermot, suggesting that she may have been let out at Castledermot but then picked up again by the same car.
Within the last two weeks gardai have searched the Barrow river from Athy, Co Kildare, to Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. That search has proved fruitless. Gardai are now renewing their efforts to determine if Ms Dollard arrived in Carlow on the night in question. The caller is asked to contact gardai at Carlow or any Garda station.