Mother and two children killed in Co Fermanagh shooting are ‘irreplaceable', funeral told
Vanessa Whyte (45), her 14-year-old son James and 13-year-old daughter Sara were shot during the incident at their home in Maguiresbridge,
Co Fermanagh
, on the morning of Wednesday, July 23rd.
The sole suspect, Ian Rutledge (43), died in hospital several days after the shooting. Mr Rutledge was married to Ms Whyte and was the father of her two children.
Mourners were asked to wear bright colours to the Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Barefield,
Co Clare
, where Ms Whyte is from.
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Bishop of Ferns Ger Nash told those gathered in the church, outside and viewing online that many are 'heartbroken at the 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 said there is no easy answer for why tragic events such as this occur.
'Here in Barefield church today with Vanessa, James, and Sara, we are in the land of 'I don't know',' he said.
'The tragic events of last week, and the ripping away of three people from their family and friends leave us searching for answers and coming back again and again to the only answer that is completely true: 'We don't know.''
The funeral Mass Vanessa Whyte, her son James Rutledge, and daughter Sara Rutledge was held on Saturday. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA
The coffins of shooting victims Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James Rutledge. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
The coffins of shooting victims Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James Rutledge. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
He said Ms Whyte brought immense gifts to her adopted county Fermanagh and the Maguiresbridge community.
Bishop Nash said tributes paid to Ms Whyte and her children on Rip.ie came from people who knew them well but also from strangers who signed their messages: 'A Waterford mammy', 'A Cork granny', 'A Wicklow mother' and 'A Dublin family'.
'There were some with both dads and mams mentioned, but there were many where a woman spoke from her own heart. They don't know you, nor you them. But they know your story, and if they hug their teenagers more tightly and call a ceasefire in the perpetual war about tidy rooms, then they have learned that life is precious, and we must be grateful for every day given to us and to those we love,' he said.
'Over and over, I could see that women and mothers, as individuals, reached out in their shock and sadness at the loss of a mother and children ... The messages highlighted the vulnerability of women to pain inflicted by others and [there were] were signs of solidarity in the face of that pain.'
Addressing Sara and James's friends, he encouraged the young people to 'talk often about our absent friends and to seek help and support when the sorrow becomes too heavy'.
Police Service of Northern Ireland
detectives are continuing their murder investigation.
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