Gardaí renew appeal over 1987 murder of Antoinette Smith
Antoinette Smith, a 27-year-old mother of two, was last seen alive on 11 July 1987 after attending a David Bowie concert in Slane, Co Meath, and walking towards O'Connell Bridge in Dublin. Her body was found on 3 April 1988 wrapped in plastic with rope around her neck, buried in a bog at Glendoo Mountain, Co Wicklow. No chief suspect has been identified, and the investigation was relaunched in 2013 by the Garda serious crime review team. In July 2026, Det Insp Séamus Ryan of the Wicklow Garda division renewed the appeal for any information, 39 years after her disappearance.
- Reported10 Jul
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Antoinette Smith, 27 and a mother of two, was last seen alive on 11 July 1987 after attending a David Bowie concert in Slane, Co Meath with a friend.
- At the La Mirage nightclub on Parnell Street, Dublin, she and her friend met two men they knew and remained with them until 2am, after which the men took a taxi to Ballymun.
- Smith continued walking past the Gresham Hotel on O'Connell Street towards O'Connell Bridge before disappearing.
- Her body was found on 3 April 1988 wrapped in plastic with rope around her neck, buried in a bog at Glendoo Mountain, off Military Road, Co Wicklow.
- Investigation
- No chief suspect has been identified in the investigation.
- The murder investigation was relaunched in 2013 by the Garda serious crime review team.
- Det Insp Séamus Ryan of the Wicklow Garda division renewed the appeal for information in July 2026.
- Challenges in the case include the scarcity of CCTV footage and the quality of forensic science available at the time.
- Other details
- Her two children, Rachel and Lisa, were seven and four at the time of the murder.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAntoinette Smith was 27 and a mother of two at the time of her disappearance. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey met two men they knew in the club and remained with them until 2am. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe remained missing for nine months before her body was found. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHer body was found wrapped in plastic with rope around her neck, buried in a bog. (irishtimes.com)
- whereShe attended a David Bowie concert in Slane, Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whereShe and a friend returned to Dublin by bus, arriving at Parnell Square at around 11pm. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThey attended the La Mirage nightclub on Parnell Street. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe men took a taxi to Ballymun. (irishtimes.com)
- whereHer body was found at Glendoo Mountain, off Military Road, Co Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
- whenShe was last seen alive on 11 July 1987. (irishtimes.com)
- whenHer body was discovered on Easter Sunday, 3 April 1988. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThere is no chief suspect in the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe murder investigation was relaunched in 2013 by the Garda serious crime review team. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDet Insp Séamus Ryan of the Wicklow Garda division is making the renewed appeal. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationChallenges include the scarcity of CCTV footage and the quality of forensic science at the time. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHer two children, Rachel and Lisa, were seven and four at the time of the murder. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 10 Jul2026Fresh appeal over murder of Antoinette Smith after 1987 Slane concert
Renewed Garda appeal 39 years after the murder, noting no chief suspect, challenges of scarce CCTV and limited forensic science at the time, and the 2013 relaunch of the investigation by the Garda serious crime review team.
victim, Antoinette Smith, 27, female, irish (judged from name)Antoinette Smith