Crowds have turned out for the funeral of a murdered mother and her children in Northern Ireland. Veterinary surgeon Vanessa Whyte, 45, and her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13, died in a shooting at their home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, in July. The suspect, Ian Rutledge, a 43-year-old agricultural worker, died on Monday evening. He had himself suffered a gunshot wound during the attack on 23 July. Rutledge was taken to hospital, where he remained in a serious condition until the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced he had died. It is understood he was the only suspect in the murder investigation. Police in Northern Ireland have said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry.
Following a service of removal in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday, a funeral service took place for Ms Whyte and her children in Barefield, Co Clare, where she was originally from. Crowds travelled to attend the funeral at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday. Many of the mourners wore Gaelic Athletic Association jerseys and bright colours as requested by the family as they lined the main street to watch the three hearses pass by. The three are to be buried together in Templemaley Cemetery later.
Tributes paid to ‘lovely-natured’ children. A local Gaelic football club said last week that Ms White and her children were all «active and beloved» members of their club. Sara and James Rutledge also used to be part of a local cricket club, which said in a statement that it was «extremely saddened by the tragic events.» «Both of them turned out to be talented young cricketers and two absolutely lovely-natured children,» the statement read. Flowers, teddy bears, and an Arsenal football top with written notes were laid close to the scene in Drummeer Road in the days after the shooting.
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