Gardaí issue renewed appeal in Deirdre Jacob case

Deirdre Jacob (18) disappeared metres from her home in Newbridge, Co Kildare, in 1998

File photograph of Deirdre Jacob, who disappeared in 1998. File photograph: Collins Dublin

Gardaí have issued a renewed appeal for information on the whereabouts of Deirdre Jacob - 18 years after she went missing.

Ms Jacob was 18-years-old when she was last seen crossing the road towards the entrance to her home at Roseberry, Newbridge, Co Kildare, at 3pm on Tuesday, July 28th, 1998.

She is described as being 5’3 in height, of slim build, with grey/green eyes and dark chin-length hair.

She 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.

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She was carrying a black satchel-type bag, with long shoulder straps and the word “cat” in large yellow capital letters on its side.

This bag has never been located, and gardaí are interested in hearing from anyone who has ever found or noticed a bag similar to this.

Bank draft

Ms Jacob had gone to the AIB branch in Newbridge to get a bank draft to pay for student accommodation in St Mary's College, Twickenham, England, where she was training to be a teacher.

She then went to the post office to post the bank draft.

A couple of hundred metres from her home, after a sharp bend, she crossed from the left-hand side of the road to the right-hand side of the road because the footpath had run out.

Approaching her house, she crossed back from the right-hand side of the road to the left-hand side. That was the last sighting of her.

Despite disappearing in broad daylight, repeated appeals for information on her whereabouts have not yielded a breakthrough in the case.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or Newbridge Garda station on 045-431212.

Dan Griffin

Dan Griffin

Dan Griffin is an Irish Times journalist