Heartbreaking scenes & ‘heaviness in the air' as grieving mourners line streets for mum & two kids killed in Fermanagh
A service of removal has taken place in Maguiresbridge for Vanessa Whyte and her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13, ahead of their funeral in Co Clare on Saturday.
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Locals have shared how mum Vanessa loved her children Sara and James 'fiercely'
Credit: Pacemaker Press
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The family requested that people turned out in bright colours for the removal
Credit: Pacemaker Press
The three family members died in a shooting incident at a property in Drummeer Road in the Co
Agricultural contractor Ian Rutledge, 43, who died on Monday, is understood to be the only suspect in the shooting of his family.
Last week, police said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry.
Mourners gathered at St Mary's Church in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday morning, with several dressed in bright colours following a request from the
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Large crowds lined the streets outside the church in advance of the service.
Among those who attended the service were Northern Ireland's First Minister
Shortly after 11am the three coffins arrived and were brought to the front of the church as the hymn Abide By Me was sung.
During the service, a reading was delivered by Elizabeth Armstrong, principal of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, where Sara and James were pupils.
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In his homily, Father Raymond Donnelly said people had gathered in a church 'filled with grief'.
He added: 'There is a heaviness in the air, a silence within our hearts, that speaks volumes.
FRIENDS GRIEVING
'The tragedy we have endured has shaken this community, and our country, to its core.
'We are left shocked, grieving, heartbroken, searching for meaning, grappling with questions too deep for words.'
He added: 'The loss of Vanessa and her two beautiful children, James and Sara – lives taken in such an unspeakable way – is more than any heart should bear.
'A woman full of kindness and warmth, a friend to so many here.
'And her children, so young, so vibrant, so full of promise.
'Their laughter rang through school corridors, through playing fields, especially on the GAA pitch, where they thrived with passion and joy.
'That zest for life, their infectious energy, their open smiles.
'Words fail us. And when words fail, we turn to the word of God.'
The priest told the grieving family members 'you are not alone'.
He added: 'We stand with you.
LOCAL SUPPORT
'We hold you in prayer and embrace. We do not have answers, but we offer presence. We offer prayer. We offer love.
'To the classmates of Sara and James and to all the friends, know that it is OK to feel confused, angry, sad and to cry.
'Please speak to someone. Speak to your parents, to your teachers, to your clergy.'
Fr Donnelly told mourners that grief is 'not something to carry alone'.
He added: 'It is a journey we make together.
'To all involved in sport – to coaches, teammates, mentors – thank you for the joy you helped nurture in these children.
'Their bright spirits will remain a part of every game played in their memory.
'And we take a moment to thank all first responders and medics. Thank you for your service under unimaginable circumstances.
'Thank you to all who have come forward with meals, hugs, tears, prayers, practical and pastoral support or a silent presence.
'You remind us that light still flickers, even on the darkest of days.'
Candles were then lit in memory of the three victims.
The bodies will be taken to Barefield in Co Clare, where Ms Whyte was originally from, ahead of their funeral Mass on Saturday.
The three will then be buried together in Templemaley Cemetery.
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A funeral service for the three family members will take place on Saturday
Credit: Pacemaker Press
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Fr Donnelly told mourners that grief is 'not something to carry alone'
Credit: Pacemaker Press
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Irish Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Murdered mum and her two kids are "together and safe", their funeral hears
A murdered mother and her children are "together and finally safe", their funeral has heard. Crowds flooded into the Co Clare village of Barefield for the funeral of Vanessa Whyte, 45, and her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13, who died in a shooting at their home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh. Many of the mourners wore GAA jerseys and bright colours as requested by the family as they lined the main street to watch the three hearses pass by. Those in attendance at the funeral at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday included a representative for the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and GAA president Jarlath Burns. GAA President Jarlath Burns at the funeral for Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James Rutledge, at Church of the Immaculate Conception in Barefield, Co Clare. Noel Sweeney/PA Wire Delivering the eulogy, Ms Whyte's sister Regina said they have been robbed of their loved ones. "Vanessa, James and Sara were 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," she said. "We as a family have been robbed of both a relationship with our sister and a chance to see James and Sara grow up, and they have been robbed of the remainder of their lives. "It has taken us 11 days to be in a position to have Vanessa, James and Sara back to Clare. "This was supposed to be a joyous occasion where Vanessa would see her new nephew, and Sara and James would meet their baby cousin 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." She described her sister as "witty, bright, kind and determined", and said James and Sara were the "focus of her world". She recalled James's love of the GAA, playing both hurling and football, and also cricket, adding he has been acknowledged as the "kind, bright, determined teenager we as a family know so well". "James's smile was infectious, and his loyalty was strong," she said. Sara was remembered as having a deep love for animals, and aspiring to follow in her mother's footsteps to become a vet, as well as loving sport. "She was an excellent hurler, a footballer and skilled at netball. She was a team player, a quiet leader, and like every sister, never let James away with anything," she said. 24/07/2025 - BELFAST - Image of Vanessa Whyte (centre) with Sara Rutledge and James Rutledge. Amazing Grace and Somewhere Over The Rainbow were among the music played during the service. Bishop Ger Nash, Bishop of Ferns and a family friend, described heartbreak over the "tragic and unspeakable loss of three lives with so much to give to the world". Delivering the homily, he said 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". "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'," he said. He noted messages of condolences for the mother and her children including from neighbours, but also many from those who simply described themselves as "A Waterford Mammy", "A Cork Granny", and "A Wicklow Mother". "There were some with both dads and mams mentioned, but there were many where a woman spoke from her own heart," he said. "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. "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, but also conscious that there were heartbroken mothers left behind. "The messages highlighted the vulnerability of women to pain inflicted by others and were signs of solidarity in the face of that pain." Last week crowds also turned out for Ms Whyte, James and Sara for a service of removal in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday. Agricultural contractor Ian Rutledge, 43, who died on Monday, is understood to be the only suspect in the shooting of his family. Police in Northern Ireland have said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry. Ms Whyte, James and Sara are to be buried together in Templemaley Cemetery later. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Mother and children killed in Fermanagh shooting taken in ‘cruel and vicious manner,' funeral told
Crowds flooded into the Co Clare village of Barefield for the funeral of Vanessa Whyte, 45, and her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13, who died in a shooting at their home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh. Many of the mourners wore GAA jerseys and bright colours as requested by the family as they lined the main street to watch the three hearses pass by. Those in attendance at the funeral at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday included a representative for the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and GAA president Jarlath Burns. Delivering the eulogy, Ms Whyte's sister Regina said they have been robbed of their loved ones. 'Vanessa, James and Sara were 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,' she said. 'We as a family have been robbed of both a relationship with our sister and a chance to see James and Sara grow up, and they have been robbed of the remainder of their lives. 'It has taken us 11 days to be in a position to have Vanessa, James and Sara back to Clare. 'This was supposed to be a joyous occasion where Vanessa would see her new nephew, and Sara and James would meet their baby cousin 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.' ADVERTISEMENT She described her sister as 'witty, bright, kind and determined', and said James and Sara were the 'focus of her world'. She recalled James's love of the GAA, playing both hurling and football, and also cricket, adding he has been acknowledged as the 'kind, bright, determined teenager we as a family know so well'. 'James's smile was infectious, and his loyalty was strong,' she said. Sara was remembered as having a deep love for animals, and aspiring to follow in her mother's footsteps to become a vet, as well as loving sport. 'She was an excellent hurler, a footballer and skilled at netball. She was a team player, a quiet leader, and like every sister, never let James away with anything,' she said. Amazing Grace and Somewhere Over The Rainbow were among the music played during the service. Bishop Ger Nash, Bishop of Ferns and a family friend, described heartbreak over the 'tragic and unspeakable loss of three lives with so much to give to the world'. Delivering the homily, he said 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'. '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',' he said. He noted messages of condolences for the mother and her children including from neighbours, but also many from those who simply described themselves as 'A Waterford Mammy', 'A Cork Granny', and 'A Wicklow Mother'. 'There were some with both dads and mams mentioned, but there were many where a woman spoke from her own heart,' he said. '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. '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, but also conscious that there were heartbroken mothers left behind. 'The messages highlighted the vulnerability of women to pain inflicted by others and were signs of solidarity in the face of that pain.' Last week crowds also turned out for Ms Whyte, James and Sara for a service of removal in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday. Agricultural contractor Ian Rutledge, 43, who died on Monday, is understood to be the only suspect in the shooting of his family. Police in Northern Ireland have said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry. Ms Whyte, James and Sara are to be buried together in Templemaley Cemetery later.
Irish Independent
18 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Funeral of Fermanagh shooting victims hears of ‘tragic and unspeakable loss' as mourners gather in Clare
The three family members were shot dead in their home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh last week. The funeral service in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Doora Barefield, Co Clare - Ms Whyte's native county – honoured the 'irreplaceable part' that all three played in their family, sports teams and workplace. Although a native of Clare, Ms Whyte relocated to Fermanagh, but never lost touch with her Clare GAA roots, instead sharing them with James and Sara. Addressing the thronging crowds of mourners inside and outside of the church, Bishop of Ferns, Ger Nash spoke about the senselessness of their sudden deaths. "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.'' Bishop Nash spoke about how deeply embedded Ms Whyte and her children were in Clare GAA, despite living outside the county. 'She gave that love of her native county and Gaelic games to James and Sara, and they were themselves at the centre of a community of friends in sport, school and all the things that mark the lives of young people. "They followed Clare hurlers in good times and bad, putting the rest of us to shame by the length of the journeys they took to attend matches.' He continued: 'The Whyte family: you know how you are held in your sorrow by the community here in Barefield and in Clare, but also in Maguiresbridge and Fermanagh. "At great cost, you have discovered that many people want to walk with you on your journey of pain.' Bishop Nash spoke of the 'energy and commitment' Ms Whyte gave to her children, described in a touching anecdote. "She encouraged James and Sara in their growing independence as young people but always hovered in the background in case the independence wasn't working out. "As an example, her family spoke yesterday of Vanessa dropping James to Cúl Camp, telling him to get stuck in, but then hanging around the gate of the field with a watchful eye in case it didn't work out.'
