28th anniversary of the disappearance of Fiona Pender

Today, August 23, marks the 28th anniversary of the disappearance of 25-year old Tullamore hairdresser and part-time model, Fiona Pender, who was seven months pregnant with her first baby at the time she went missing.

Gardai have an ongoing appeal in operation for any information in relation to the disappearance of the popular local woman

Fiona, who was from Connolly Park in Tullamore, was last seen at approximately 6am on the morning of Friday, August 23, 1996, at her flat on Church Street, Tullamore. She had spent the previous day shopping for baby clothes in Tullamore town with her late mother, Josephine. She was in good form and was looking forward to the birth of her baby.

At the time of her disappearance, Fiona Pender was described as being 5'5" in height, with long blonde hair. When last seen she was wearing bright coloured clothing and white leggings and was seven months pregnant.

While a number of arrests were made as a result of the ongoing garda investigation into the disappearance of the young mother-to-be, and a large number of searches were carrried out, no trace has ever been found of the local woman.

Poignantly, Fiona's mother, Josephine, passed away in 2017 having campaigned tirelessly for information about the whereabouts of her only daughter. She had lost her son, Mark, in a motorbike accident the year before Fiona disappeared and also lost her husband, Sean, tragically, in 2000.

On the 28th anniversary of her disappearance, gardai are appealing to anyone that met, saw or has any information about Fiona Pender to please come forward. They have also appealed to anyone who may have previously come forward who felt they could not provide Gardaí with all the information they had to get in touch again.

Gardai have said it doesn't matter how small or insignificant you might believe the information to be, it is important to get in touch with them at any Garda Station or on the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.