THE FUNERAL for a mother and her two children who were murdered in a shooting incident in Co. Fermanagh has heard that the three are 'together and finally safe'.
Vanessa Whyte, 45, was laid to rest in her native Co. Clare on Saturday alongside her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13.
Mourners lined the streets of Barefield as the funeral cortege made its way to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the town.
Those in attendance were dressed in bright colours, as requested by the family, while the coffins were carried into the church by members of the various GAA teams the family were a part of.
'No words'
Inside the church, Ms Whyte's sister Regina told mourners that the three had been 'taken from this world in a cruel and vicious manner'.
"There are no words available to express how this has impacted our family and their friends," said Regina Whyte.
"We as a family have been robbed of both the relationship of our sister and a chance to see James and Sara grow up and they have been robbed of the remainder of their lives."
She added that Ms Whyte had been due to visit Barefield with her children to see her new nephew but that the three family members were now being laid to rest in the church where the baby will be baptised.
The coffins are carried into the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Image: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie)"It has taken us 11 days to be in a position to have Vanessa, James and Sara back in Clare," she said.
"This was supposed to be a joyous occasion where Vanessa would see her new nephew and Sara and James would meet their baby cousin, Harry Joe, for the first time.
"Instead, we are in the position of choosing coffins, final burial places and funeral hymns.
"For us as a family, the only comfort we have is that Vanessa, James and Sara are together and finally safe.
"Vanessa will have her children at either side of her forever as they were when they were alive."
'Pain and grief'
In his homily, Bishop Ger Nash described the deaths as a 'tragic and unspeakable loss of three lives with so much to give to the world'.
"Every story and shared memory since their deaths reminds us of the irreplaceable part they played in the lives of their families, their community, their schools, workplaces, teams and clubs," he said.
He added: "We need to acknowledge the personal pain and grief that has fallen on each of us and to recognise that we have joined a community of people who grieve for Vanessa, Sara and James.
"That community is all over Ireland and crosses all generations.
Mourners were told that the three family members were 'together and finally safe' (Image: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie)"We need to encourage each other to talk often about our absent friends and to seek help and support when the sorrow becomes too heavy.
"This particularly goes for you who are young friends of James and Sara.
"Your best tribute to their lives is to take care of your own and your friends' lives and to truly become the great people God created you to be.
"And for all of us, to remember that the gifts we have recognised in Vanessa, James and Sara are gifts that are often unused in our own lives."
Following the service, the three family members were laid to rest at the nearby Templemaley Cemetery.
Investigation
Police were alerted to a shooting incident at the family home in Drummeer Road, Maguiresbridge, on the morning of Wednesday, July 23..
Two people were found dead at the scene and two were taken to hospital, one of whom passed away later that day.
The three deceased were subsequently named as Ms Whyte and her two children.
At the time, investigators said that a suspected triple murder and attempted suicide was one line of enquiry, although they did not anticipate making any arrests.
On Monday, police confirmed that the fourth person, identified as 43-year-old Ian Rutledge, had also passed away.
Police have continued to appeal for information and particularly want to hear from anyone who saw a silver Mercedes saloon car being driven in the Clones Road area of Newtownbutler, or between Maguiresbridge and Newtownbutler, the night before the murders.
See More: Barefield, Clare, Fermanagh, Maguiresbridge
