Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
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.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
What a petty man-child
@mcleixlip: You missed the main point. “Swift was a prominent backer of Trump’s US presidential election rival Kamala Harris last year.” When you back the wrong side it has consequences.
@thomas molloy: normal countries don’t have ‘consequences’ for exercising your democratic rights. The abuse she gets is ridiculous.
@thomas molloy: “When you back the wrong side it has consequences.” – WOW
Out of curiosity, what consequences to you think those that oppose Trump should suffer? Will you be okay with Trump using the power of the Govt to go after those that he views as his enemies?
Do you think Liz Cheney should be investigated? How about Taylor Swift? Should Mitt Romney be investigated? Or John Bolton?
And before we get the inevitable lie that “Biden targeted Trump first”, every sane person who isn’t blinded by their blind allegiance to Trump, can look at the evidence and know that Trump was guilty of everything he was indicted for.
@thomas molloy: why on earth should there be consequences? For supporting one candidate over the other? Isn’t that what happened in other countries that ended up as dictatorships – if you don’t support the leader, there were consequences.
@thomas molloy: It does say in the text of the article that most of the crowd were from Philly though American Football fans as a whole do skew somewhat to the Right.
@John Murphy: Swift of course being the only celebrity ever to endorse a presidential candidate on either side.
@John Murphy: Can you let us know the criteria you have that determines if a person is allowed to campaign for their preferred political candidate?
@thomas molloy: Are you proposing “consequences” for any Irish person who did not support FF at the last election? What have you in mind?
@John Murphy: and so could Trump. I didn’t realise that people weren’t allowed to have political opinions or voice those in any way they want. When did this happen? She’s old enough to vote in the USA so she’s entitled to a political opinion and to campaign for the candidate of her choice. Would you be like this if she’d supported Trump?
@thomas molloy: Well at least she earns her own money – she’s not waiting for some Isreali supporter Heiress to give her a 100 million like Trump. ! And, that’s the only one we know about . Heavens knows how much he gets from the Isreali Lobby group AIPAC !!
@Seamus Enright: philly voted 79% for harris in 2024. It seems more likely the boos being as Taylor Swift is originally from Philly, the eagles fans might not be too keen on her wearing red for the opposing team. Then also Kelce supports Trump over her, Taylor he don’t support you, dump that loser and get the album of songs for the heartbreak
@Emily Dalton: Travis kelce like “honour to play in front” of man insulting my girlfriend. Dump him Taylor, dump him. He is no good for you, he toxic.
@Terry McClatchey: Er, we are already are facing “consequences” for not supporting FF, years more of the same government doing what they do.
Trump really is a piece of word that they won’t let me type, rhymes with crit. That is all that needs to be said
@Chutes Idiot: Mental health problems are rral. You believe everyone else has multiple personality too, like you do.
@FoxyBoiiYT: I don’t think he is a Brit
He is not presidential material, at all. He’s not even CEO material. A pathetic man child.
@Brian Keelty: You are misled by ill media. How can this be bad news. ? “EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order keeping men out of women’s sports.
The Executive Order upholds the promise of Title IX and ends the dangerous and unfair participation of men in women’s sports.
The order requires DOJ to abide by the nationwide vacatur of the previous Administration’s illegal Title IX rewrite that would have dissolved single-sex spaces and opportunities.
The order also requires immediate action, including enforcement actions, against schools and athletic “
@thomas molloy: Two can play at that game.
Do you consider Trump firing over a dozen Inspectors General a good thing? Removing independent oversight, there to prevent corruption, from multiple agencies?
Do you consider the latest claim from JD Vance that the Administration doesn’t need to adhere to Judicial rulings because they don’t accept that Judges have the right to question the Executive Branch decisions?
Do you support the claim that funding allocated and voted on by Congress can be stopped by Presidential decree essentially moving the Constitutionally granted “purse strings” from Congress to the Executive?
You’re happy with the Executive unilaterally removing the Congressional and Judicial checks and balances and making sure there is no method to check their power?
In short, are you happy with the President having dictatorial power?
@thomas molloy: And don’t pretend you give a flying f about women and girls beyond using them as a prop for a man who has had dozens of credible accusations of sexual assault and has been found liable by a jury of his peers of committing it. Never mind his literal OWN words recorded when he thought no one was listening.
@Tricia G28: Ever heard of the separation of powers?
@John Duggan: Yes. And Trump and hid administration is doing everything it can to abolish that and consolidate power under the Executive Branch. Or did you not understand my comment?
Trump is the kind of heroic President that we all grew up hearing stories about but never got to see with our own eyes.
He’s a walking, talking historical figure, folks. What a man!
@james quinn: does your throat hurt?
@james quinn: He is the kind of man woman are told to stay away from.
The only thing better than watching Trump bring back normality to society there. Is witnessing all the chemically imbalanced throthing at the mouth over every detail. It’s pure gold.
@Sickof thisshit: the lads deep ‘throthing’ Trump are a lot funnier. Trump has no idea what life is like for a normal person. Never had to work for anything in his whole life.
Trump your pathetic
@Alan Boyd: You’re*
@Tom L: FO tom ya eejit
Go Birds!!
He came eat the burgers and chicken, got the photos taken and left. Same old same old from the man child!
Taylor Swift got booed by the opposition fans, that was to be expected.
@Gary Kearney: what a saddo of an auld man. In fact he ain’t a man he’s a chancer
Id say she didn’t sleep a wink since.
Who cares,
Poor old Tay Tay, still it could have been worse, it could have been Samantha Mumba!
Nobody in their right mind actually cares! Waiting for the usual “you cared enough to comment” comments….
No, I really don’t give a **** who won the superbowl or how Trump reacted! Manuel!!!
You just have to love immigrant Americans not one of them are natural Americans they are a disgusting nation.
have your say