THE parents of the missing American student, Ms Annie McCarrick, have contacted the family of a missing Kilkenny woman to offer support.
Mr John McCarrick, whose daughter disappeared almost three years ago, has advised the family of Ms Josephine Dollard (21), who has been missing for nine weeks.
Mr McCarrick offered a $ 150,000 reward for information about his daughter, last seen in March 1993, but to no avail. A private security adviser is still investigating her disappearance.
Mrs Mary Phelan, sister of Josephine Dollard, who vanished on November 9th, yesterday described her contact with the McCarrick family as "very helpful and supportive. The past nine weeks have been a real nightmare but, although we may fear the worst, we cannot give up hope.
"John McCarrick is heartbroken, but he has never given up trying to find his daughter. He has given us some advice on how we can search for Jo Jo and has been really supportive," she said.
Mrs Phelan has also had contact with relatives of the missing Dublin schoolboy, Philip Cairns.
Ms Dollard was last seen telephoning a friend from the booth in Moone, Co Kildare, at 11.37 p.m. on November 9th.
She had met friends in Dublin during the day and missed the direct bus to Callan. Instead she caught a commuter bus to Naas. She then hitched to Kilcullen, where she is believed to have arrived at 11 p.m. From there she hitch hiked to Moone.
It is now believed she took another lift to Castledermot where witnesses say a woman matching her description was seen around midnight.