logo
Prayer service held for mother and two children killed in shooting incident

Prayer service held for mother and two children killed in shooting incident

BreakingNews.ie7 days ago
A prayer service held for a mother and two children killed in a shooting incident in Co Fermanagh has been told that 'we cannot rationalise what should never have taken place'.
Vanessa Whyte, 45, a vet originally from Co Clare, her son James, 14, and daughter Sara, 13, were killed in a suspected triple murder and attempted suicide at a house in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday morning.
Advertisement
Ms Whyte was originally from Barefield, a village near Ennis in Co Clare.
Hundreds of people attended the prayer service, which took place in Barefield on Sunday evening.
People attend a prayer service at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Photo: PA.
Parish priest Fr Tom Fitzpatrick said that Ms Whyte was a woman who loved her children 'fiercely', and wanted the best for them.
He described how she worked hard and laughed a lot, and carried burdens 'we may never fully understand'.
Advertisement
Fr Fitzpatrick added: 'Vanessa Whyte and her son James and daughter Sara, the unspeakable tragedy that has befallen our parish is something that is very hard to focus in on and get our minds around.
'But we're here, and that's the main thing. And we are here as well, not just praying for the three of them tonight in a very special way, and asking the Lord to take them to himself, that they be at peace. And I know they are.
'We're also here to remember and be a support for (Vanessa's mother) Mary and her family, and the siblings. They're at home tonight, they decided not to come. It might be easier for themselves, and for ourselves here too, maybe if they were just looking in online from home.
'So we're thinking of them in a very special way. Tonight we come to remember Vanessa and to hold Vanessa's family.'
Advertisement
Three candles representing Ms Whyte, James and Sara sat on the altar.
Those gathered were told that she was a woman who 'gave and gave'.
'Vanessa was a mother. She was a daughter, a sister, an aunty and a great friend to so many people,' Fr Fitzpatrick added.
'She was a woman who loved her children fiercely she wanted the best for them. She worked hard, and she laughed a lot, and she carried burdens that we may never ever fully understand.
Advertisement
'Her life was incredibly precious. James and Sara, young lives just beginning, so full of promise, so loved, so full of light, they've been taken away from this world all too soon in a violent way.
'We just find it impossible, my dear friends, to make sense of any of it. We cannot rationalise what should never have taken place, what we can do is remember the pain that we feel now, that pain is borne out of love.
'If we didn't love Vanessa, and so many of you would have known her, and if we didn't love her children, we wouldn't be grieving. This heartbreak is the price we pay for love, but it is also love in itself that will help Vanessa's family and all of us indeed, to carry it over the weeks and months to come.
A prayer service was held for Vanessa Whyte and her children (PA)
'Mary, I know you're at home and you're listening. She was Vanessa's beloved mother, and her grief is a very deep ocean indeed.
Advertisement
'No mother should ever have to endure this. And yet, Mary, I know, will find herself surrounded by people who care deeply.
'She will meet them over the next number of days. These same people, all of us here, will stand beside her, not just during these dark days, but in the days and the weeks to come as well.'
He said the family's hearts have been 'fractured beyond belief'.
'You have lost a sister, a niece and a nephew, and there are no words that can fill the space that they have left behind. But you're not alone.
'You are held by a community of people who are walking with you through this darkness.'
A murder investigation has been launched, while an adult male remains in a serious condition in hospital.
It is understood that the funeral of Ms Whyte and her two children will take place in Barefield later this week.
On Saturday, detectives from the major investigation team, who are carrying out the murder investigation, said they are continuing with their inquiries and appealed for information involving the movements of a vehicle.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: 'Our investigation is ongoing and we are working tirelessly to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy.
'I would continue to appeal generally for anyone with information to come forward, and more specifically, I would ask anyone who saw a silver Mercedes saloon car being driven in the Clones Road area of Newtownbutler, or between Maguiresbridge and Newtownbutler, on the evening of Tuesday July 22 to call detectives on 101, quoting reference 276 23/07/25.
'Anyone who was travelling in the area and who may have captured dashcam footage which could assist, please get in touch.'
The man who remains in a serious condition in hospital was a member of the same household, the PSNI said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Teenager seriously injured in Co Kerry road crash
Teenager seriously injured in Co Kerry road crash

BreakingNews.ie

time30 minutes ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Teenager seriously injured in Co Kerry road crash

A teenager has been seriously injured following a road crash in Co Kerry. Gardaí said one vehicle was involved in the incident on the L1029 road at Deerpark, Lixnaw, on Saturday evening. Advertisement Emergency services attended the scene at approximately 5.40pm. A garda spokesperson said: 'The driver, an adult male aged in his late teens, and sole occupant of the car was airlifted to Cork University Hospital where he is being treated for serious injuries. 'Garda forensic collision investigators carried out an examination of the scene and the road has now been reopened. 'Gardai are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward. Advertisement 'Any road users who may have dash-cam and were travelling in the area between 5.15pm and 5.45pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai.'

Manhunt intensifies as suspect's truck is found after he 'gunned down four in Montana bar'
Manhunt intensifies as suspect's truck is found after he 'gunned down four in Montana bar'

Daily Mail​

time30 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Manhunt intensifies as suspect's truck is found after he 'gunned down four in Montana bar'

Authorities have found the white Ford F-150 allegedly used by a former Army sergeant to flee after a deadly bar shooting in Montana - but the suspected killer is still at large. Michael Paul Brown, 45, is accused of gunning down four people - including a bartender - at The Owl Bar in Anaconda around 10 a.m. Friday before disappearing into the wilderness. Law enforcement officials say Brown, of Anaconda, is 'armed and dangerous' and was last spotted in the remote Stumptown area west of the city. After locating the abandoned pickup, officers launched a massive air and ground search across the mountainous terrain near Stumptown Road, which continued into Saturday. Authorities also released a chilling photo of Brown, believed to be moments after the shooting. The image showed him barefoot, shirtless, and wearing black shorts as he descended a set of concrete steps. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims, identified only as a bartender and three others, saying they will do so when 'the time is appropriate.' No motive for the attack has been disclosed. The owner of a Montana bar where a gunman killed four people before going on the run believes the suspect just 'snapped.' David Gwerder, owner of the Owl Bar, said alleged shooter Michael Paul Brown likely knew the victims of Friday's attack. SWAT teams stormed Brown's home on Friday but found no trace of the suspected killer, who remains at large. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar, I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Gwerder was not at the bar at the time of the shooting and believes the victims were the only ones inside. Though no further injuries have been reported, officials insist Brown is still considered armed and dangerous - and residents have been urged to stay indoors and remain on high alert. With no sign of the Army veteran in the truck or at his residence, authorities locked down the Stumptown Road area west of Anaconda, flooding it with air and ground teams and barring anyone from entering or leaving. The lockdown was lifted Saturday, but the search effort continues. The Department of Criminal Investigation has warned the public not to approach Brown under any circumstances. Instead, anyone who spots him is urged to call 911. He is described as 5-foot-10, about 170 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. A woman who appears to be related to Brown took to social media as the manhunt continued saying 'mental health is real'. Clare Boyle posted after the horrific events unfolded writing: 'There is one thing I'm certain of. Mental health is real. 'And it goes unmanaged and dismissed every single day. There are people who search for help and get turned away at every stop along the path. 'There are people who cry for help and show DEFINITE warning signs of crash out. This town? All this town does is talk and judge.' Daily Mail has approached her for further details. A friend to Brown wrote on Facebook: 'The shooter was a friend, combat veteran with PTSD and a delusional mentality of still being active spec ops! He would tell me these outrageous stories of his that were straight out of motion pictures! 'Mikey Brown needed help! Several locals contacted authorities and pleaded for them to do something to no avail! He was always polite to everyone he was in contact with! Gentle soul, I knew him for years, and watched his mental health decline! 'PTSD is a serious disease! I am so sorry for those who lost their lives and their loved ones who are dealing with the loss of their own! Mikey I'm sorry people didn't listen! God Bless Anaconda.' Army records show Brown served as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, deploying to Iraq for over a year. He later joined the Montana National Guard, serving until 2009. He left the military with the rank of sergeant.

Three of five trapped workers at Codelco's El Teniente mine found dead
Three of five trapped workers at Codelco's El Teniente mine found dead

Reuters

time2 hours ago

  • Reuters

Three of five trapped workers at Codelco's El Teniente mine found dead

SANTIAGO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Three of five trapped workers at Codelco's El Teniente copper mine have been found dead, the company said, as rescue teams work to clear underground passages that collapsed in a strong tremor last week. One person also died at the time of the incident on Thursday evening, bringing the total death toll to four. Codelco discovered the first trapped worker on Saturday and another two early Sunday. "We deeply regret the discovery of two other colleagues who were found deceased," the miner said in a statement. "We stand with the families and the entire community in the anguish this situation causes." As of Sunday morning, rescue teams had cleared 24 meters of blocked passages, out of 90 meters that Codelco officials previously said could be necessary to reach the trapped workers, in the new Andesita section of the mine. The collapse occurred on Thursday around 5:30 p.m. local time, caused by one of the largest tremors ever recorded at El Teniente with the impact of a 4.2 magnitude quake. Codelco is investigating whether the cause was mining activity or natural tectonic shifts in the earthquake-prone country.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store