Gardai say people know what happened to Fiona Sinnott, last seen 25 years ago today

On Sunday, February 8, 1998, Fiona who just 19, was socialising at Butler’s Pub in Broadway, Co. Wexford with friends. She left the pub at approximately 12 midnight and was never seen again.

No trace of the young mother was ever found and while the case was upgraded to a murder investigation in 2005 it remains unsolved.

In a fresh appeal, gardaí in Wexford said they are continuing to actively investigate her disappearance and murder.

“Fiona was the mother of an infant daughter and at the time of her disappearance lived at Ballyhitt, Broadway, Co. Wexford,” gardai said in a statement issued this morning.

They said that after Fiona had left the pub, a motorist saw a man and a woman on the roadway near Kisha Cross, Broadway, Co Wexford on Sunday, February 8, 1998, at around midnight.

“There were two males in their late teens or early twenties in close proximity,” gardai said.

“None of these four people have ever come forward and gardaí are anxious to trace them, or anyone who was in the vicinity who did not, or could not come forward at the time.”

In 2005 gardaí arrested and detained a man on suspicion of Fiona’s murder. At the same time five other people, including three women and two men, were arrested and detained in connection with the investigation.

However, no person has been charged to date.

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In addition to regular appeals on the anniversary of Fiona’s disappearance, gardai made a number of direct appeals, including at the time of the arrests in 2005, a Crimecall Appeal in February 2017 and a follow up appeal in April 2017.

“On each occasion An Garda Síochána continues to receive contact from persons in relation to this investigation,” gardai added.

“Given the passage of time, on this the 25th anniversary of the disappearance and murder of Fiona Sinnott, we are appealing to anyone with information in relation to her disappearance and murder to come forward.

“We believe there are people in the Broadway area of Co Wexford who have information vital to this investigation.

“With the passage of time, it is possible that persons who have not spoken to gardaí to date, or who spoke to gardaí over the past 25 years but possibly have more information that they can provide, are now in a position to come forward.”

Anyone with information or who can assist with the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Fiona Sinnott is asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111, any Garda Station or any member of An Garda Síochána.

This time last year, Fiona’s sister Diane said that she had no doubt “something really tragic” happened to her.

“I feel that something really tragic happened that night, the ninth of February, because she was in a place where she walked out of the pub and she wouldn't have gotten on a bus or a train,” she said on the 24th anniversary of her disappearance,

“The pub was in the middle of nowhere.”

Diane appealed for anyone with information on the case to come forward so that the family can have closure.

“Even if they have any small bit of information, we would love them to come forward and say it because 24 years is a long time,” she said at the time.

“We do believe that people in Wexford have information. It is really hard knowing that she is still out there.

“We would love closure. We want to put her to rest. Sit and think about it. If it was one of their own, would they like it?”

Diane, her mother Mary, and other loved ones remembered Fiona on the day at a memorial plaque near Kilmore Quay.