THE FAMILY OF Deidre Jacob, who went missing from Co Kildare this day 25 years ago, hope their latest appeal for information will uncover a “small amount of information that will piece things together”.

The 18-year-old was last seen walking near her home at Roseberry in Newbridge, Co Kildare, at around 3pm on 28 July 1998.

A garda spokesperson said an open and active investigation into the disappearance is being carried out by a dedicated investigation team based at Kildare Garda Station.

A prayer service will take place for Deirdre this evening in St Conleth’s Church in Newbridge from 7-8pm. 

Speaking today to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Deirdre’s father Michael recalled the day his daughter went missing.

“She was a very pleasant girl and at that time in 1998, she was home on holidays from her Teacher Training College in Strawberry Hill in Twickenham,” said Michael.

“She was enjoying life that summer, and to remind people, it was the summer that the Kildare football team was creating shockwaves and Deirdre had attended some of the matches.”

Michael outlined the day of the disappearance and said: “On the day of the 28 July, 1998, at about 1pm, she walked into the centre of Newbridge, which is about a 25 minutes’ walk (from Roseberry).

“She called to her grandmother and from there she went to the Allied Irish Bank, which is a little distance up the street.

“She’s picked up on CCTV, she was in the bank for a few minutes securing a bank draft to send to a colleague in London who was going to secure accommodation for a second year.

“After this, she crossed the street to the post office and was picked up again as she stands in the queue of the post office on CCTV. Then she returns down the street and is also picked up by the cameras.”

Michael said at about 2.35pm, she began to walk home and that she was identified by a number of people along the way.

“Some who knew her and others who didn’t recognise her but recognised her by the large strap bag that she was carrying, with a large yellow CAT logo on the flap of it.

“Just after 3pm, she crossed the road into our gateway where a motorist spotted her and identified her by the bag, and that was the last account we have of Deirdre.

“There’s been no trace of Deirdre whatsoever since 3pm on the 28 July, 1998.”

He said the family will be appealing for people to “talk about Deirdre’s case in the next few days, in the hope that that will urge someone who has some small piece of information”.

“At this stage, with the huge investigation over the 25 years, there’s a lot of information collected,” said Michael.

“It’s very likely that a small amount of information will piece things together and it will become clear what happened to Deirdre and where she might be at this point in time, so that we can have her back.”

He added that there have been “agonising” moments for the family over the past quarter of a century.

“There’s not a portion of a day that goes by that we don’t think of Deirdre or go over in our minds what might have happened.

“If we travel that road from our home in Newbridge, it’s in our minds.

“As we walk through the gateway or drive through the gateway, we are fixing in our mind, that was the last place that Deirdre was seen and we are trying to figure out what happened after that.”

He also said that the public have been “great” in responding to appeals over the years and urged people to “remember back and remind other people”.

“Maybe there is someone out there who for some reason or other wasn’t in a position to come forward, but maybe now their circumstances may have changed somewhat, and they are freer to come forward.”