The body of Marie Tierney has been re-interred after an earlier exhumation by the Gardaí.

Kilkenny Gardaí are continuing to investigate the murder of 34-year-old, who was killed on an unknown date between October 21st and December 21st 1984.

Her body was exhumed on Wednesday morning at Conahy Graveyard in Kilkenny.

It was taken for examination to Waterford University Hospital - while Gardaí have liaised closely with Marie's family throughout this process.

She was a married mother of two children - aged 12 and 13 - at the time she was killed.

She lived with her husband and their two children at Clintstown, Co Kilkenny where they ran a grocery store and petrol station.

Background

She was reported missing on October 22nd 1984 by her husband.

She had left their house at Clintstown, Jenkinstown, Kilkenny on the evening of October 21st at approximately 10.30pm in the family car - a Renault 18 Estate registration number 35-HIP - and had not returned.

Gardaí located the Tierney's family car at Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny later that day - October 22nd 1984.

Statements from a number of witnesses put the car abandoned in Newpark at approximately 11.00pm on October 21st.

Searches were conducted by Gardaí and members of Marie Tierney's family and friends, but she could not be located.

On December 21st her body was found by a man out walking on the Bleach Road, Kilkenny in a ditch.

A post mortem examination was conducted and an investigation launched.

Renewed appeal

To date, over 500 lines of enquiry have been opened and over 200 witness statements recorded.

There have been no arrests to date for the murder.

Gardaí are appealing to any member of the public who may have seen any person(s) walking or cycling at or near Newpark/Newpark Fenn, Kilkenny on the night of October 21st 1984.

They are appealing to any member of the public who may have seen any person(s) walking or cycling or any vehicles, including the Renault 18 35-HIP, on or near the Bleach Road, Kilkenny on the night of October 21st 1984.

Gardaí are also appealing to people who have not yet made themselves known to Gardaí or who, for whatever reason, were unable to make themselves available to Gardaí at the time.

They say: "With the passage of time relationships may have changed or circumstances may have changed which may enable persons to come forward with information to Gardaí that they may not have done previously.

"Time may have given context to something they felt was unimportant at the time but may be of assistance to the investigation."

"We have previously had great assistance from the public in Kilkenny in relation to similar serious crimes.

"We wish to thank the community at large and the media for their assistance then and we again seek their help in this case.

"Whilst over 30 years have elapsed there may be people who have information who for whatever reason have not come forward yet."

They are asking those people to make contact with An Garda Síochána in Kilkenny on 056-7775-000 or on the Garda Confidential Line at 1800-666-111.