Hometown GAA club of murder victim Vanessa Whyte pays moving tribute to her
St Joseph's Doora Barefied GAA club issued a moving statement on Thursday, 24 hours after Co Clare native Vanessa Whyte and her children James and Sara Rutledge were shot dead in Maguiresbridge, near Enniskillen.
Ms Whyte, a vet aged 45, died in her home along with James, 14, and Sara, 13. A man was found injured at the scene and the PSNI says it is not looking for anyone else over the tragedy. The scene in the Drummeer Road area of Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh (Image: Oliver McVeigh /PA Wire)
Ms Whyte grew up in Barefield and was a keen camogie player with St Joseph's before she moved north of the border.
The community in Barefield has been left devastated by the tragedy - and on Thursday the local GAA club chairman Garrett Greene told the Irish Mirror its members were shocked by the killings.
And he said the Whyte family - including Vanessa, her late father Joe and brothers Stephen and Ivor - had a long association with the club.
Ms Whyte kept that strong GAA tradition alive when she moved north of the border and was heavily involved in Gaelic games in Co Fermanagh. Barefield County Clare St Joseph's Doora Barefield GAA Club Picture Brendan Gleeson
Mr Greene told us: "St Joseph's Doora Barefield club were shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic passing yesterday of Barefield native Vanessa Whyte and her two beautiful children James and Sara in Fermanagh.
"The Whyte family have a long association with our club with Vanessa's late father Joe part of our first ever country hurling winning team of 1954.
"Her brothers Steve and Ivor also represented the club at all grades and among their honours were intermediate hurling championships in 1993 and 2016 respectively." The scene at Maguiresbridge, Co. Fermanagh, on Wednesday afternoon. (Image: Justin Kernoghan)
He added: "Vanessa was also a very accomplished camogie player and represented the club as did her sisters. 24/07/2025 - BELFAST - A mother and two children killed in a suspected triple murder and attempted suicide in County Fermanagh have been named by police as Vanessa Whyte, her son James Rutledge and daughter Sara Rutledge. They died after being shot at a house in Drummeer Road in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday. Vanessa, a veterinary surgeon, was 45, James was 14 and Sara was 13, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said. A man - who is a member of the same household - is being treated for serious gunshot injuries at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Two of the victims were declared dead at the scene on Wednesday morning and a third died later in hospital. The shooting happened in a rural area about 75 miles west of Belfast and about eight miles from the county's largest town, Enniskillen. Police said no arrests had been made "it is not anticipated that they will be made". PICTURE: UNPIXS 24/07/2025
"All at the club issue our heartfelt sympathies to Mary, Geraldine, Regina , Anita , Steve, Ivor and the extended Whyte family on their terrible loss."
Members of the Whyte family, including Vanessa's mother Mary were being comforted by loved ones at their home in Barefield on Thursday.
The man injured in the horror incident and who was known to the three victims is tonight seriously ill in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
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