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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
‘Their infectious energy, their open smiles': Murder of mother and children has shaken Co Fermanagh community, service hears
Children dressed in red and green GAA jerseys lined a street with heads bowed as three hearses drove slowly past them in a Co Fermanagh village on Wednesday morning. One girl wept silently as coffins carrying the remains of Vanessa Whyte (45) and her children, James Rutledge (14) and daughter, Sara Rutledge (13) arrived at the gates of St Mary's Church in Maguiresbridge. A female PSNI officer kept her hand raised in a salute as the hearses approached. Birdsong was the only sound. READ MORE Hundreds of people thronged the Boyhill Road beside the village church in the hour before the service of removal. Vanessa Whyte, her son James and daughter Sara died in the Drummeer Road in Maguiresbridge last week. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire It was exactly a week to the day that Ms Whyte, originally from Co Clare, and her children were shot dead in their family home, in what is being treated as suspected murder. The only suspect, Ian Rutledge (43) , who was married to Ms Whyte and the father of her children, died in hospital on Monday evening. It is an 'unspeakable loss' that has 'pierced the hearts' of 'their family, parish and country', Fr Raymond Donnelly told mourners inside St Mary's. The priest said they had come together to pay their respects 'under a weight of grief that words could not fully express'. Outside, a sea of green and red – the colours of St Mary's Maguiresbridge GFC and St Patrick's Lisbellaw hurling club of which the family were members – wound their way around the church. James was the St Mary's under-14 captain this year. The coffins of murder victims Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James Rutledge are carried from St Mary's Church in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, following a service of removal. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire One man hugged his young pony-tailed daughter as she broke down in tears. Women wearing pink florals and polka dot dresses – those attending were asked to wear 'bright and cheerful clothing' – embraced under a grey sky. Cobalt blue kits of Lisbellaw football club and the neon green tops of Maguiresbridge running club were also among the huge crowd. Mourners fell silent as Fr Donnelly spoke of how the lives of Vanessa and her children were taken 'in such an unspeakable way'. Their loss had 'shaken the community to its core' and was 'more than any heart should bear'. 'We are left shocked, grieving, heartbroken, searching for meaning: grappling with questions too deep for words,' he said. Ms Whyte was a vet at Stormont's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) at the time of her death. She previously worked at a Co Fermanagh practice, Lakeland Vets in Derrygonnelly, and its principal vet, Innes Redmond, was among those who took part in the service. 'Vanessa was a woman full of kindness and warmth, a friend to so many here,' Fr Donnelly said in his homily. '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..' James and Sara attended Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, and its principal, Elizabeth Armstrong, delivered a reading at the beginning of the service. Classmates attended in their school uniform along with children from the siblings' former school, Maguiresbridge Primary, and in a direct address, Fr Donnelly said they should know that 'it is okay to feel confused, angry, sad and to cry'. He urged them to 'please speak to someone'. 'Speak to your parents, to your teachers, to your clergy. Grief is not something to carry alone. It is a journey we make together,' he said. 'To all involved in sport – to coaches, team-mates, 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.' First Minister Michelle O'Neill , former first minister Arlene Foster , Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen, Environment Minister Andrew Muir and Brian McAvoy from Ulster GAA were among those present. As a guard of honour formed outside the church towards the service's close, strains of Nearer My God to Thee grew louder and the crowd swelled to walk behind the three coffins. Covered in fresh flowers – white roses on Ms Whyte's and vibrant red and yellow displays on her children's – the coffins were carried side by side. Requiem mass will be held in Ms Whyte's native Barefield, Co Clare at noon this Saturday, followed by burial in Templemaley Cemetery.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Mother 'full of kindness and warmth' and her two 'vibrant' children were killed 'in unspeakable way', priest tells mourners after 'husband killed all three and turned gun on himself'
A mother and her two children were killed 'in an unspeakable way' when the three of them were shot dead in their quiet home village, a priest has said. Vanessa Whyte and her children James Rutledge, 14, and Sara Rutledge, 13, died on Wednesday last week in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Police said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry after Ms Whyte's husband allegedly 'killed all three and turned the gun on himself'. Agricultural contractor Ian Rutledge, 43, who died on Monday, is understood to be the only suspect in the shooting of his family. At a service of removal in Maguiresbridge ahead of the funeral in Co Clare on Saturday, mourners gathered this morning at St Mary's Church to pay their respects. Several were dressed in bright colours following a request from the family and large crowds lined the streets outside the church in advance of the service. In his homily, Father Raymond Donnelly said: '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. The coffins of victims Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James Rutledge are carried from St Mary's Church in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, following a service of removal '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.' He added: 'There is a heaviness in the air, a silence within our hearts, that speaks volumes. '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.' During the service, a reading was delivered by Elizabeth Armstrong, principal of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, where Sara and James were pupils. Three ambulances and an air ambulance were called to a property in Drummeer Road at around 8.20am, where Ms Whyte, a government veterinary surgeon, alongside one of the children, was tragically pronounced dead. The other child was airlifted by air ambulance to to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen where they sadly later died as a result of their injuries. A critically injured man from the same household was treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. But police confirmed Ian Rutledge died on Monday. Ms Whyte, originally from Co Clare, and her two children have been described as 'active and beloved' members of both St Mary's Maguiresbridge Gaelic Football Club and Lisbellaw St. Patrick's Hurling Club in the area. Meanwhile, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School said it was mourning 'the loss of two vibrant and much valued pupils'. The priest told the grieving family members 'you are not alone'. Speaking at the service of removal the priest told grieving family members they are 'not alone', adding 'we stand with you'. He said: '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 said: '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. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill (second left) leaves following the service of removal for the victims 'You remind us that light still flickers, even on the darkest of days.' Candles were 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.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Murder of mother and children has shaken Co Fermanagh community to its core, service told
The murder of a mother and her two children in Co Fermanagh has shaken the community 'to its core', mourners have heard. 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. The three family members died in a shooting incident at a property in Drummeer Road in the Co Fermanagh village a week ago. Agricultural contractor Ian Rutledge (43), who died on Monday, is understood to be the only suspect in the shooting of his family. READ MORE 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 family. Large crowds, including from local GAA clubs, lined the streets outside the church in advance of the service. Among those who attended the service were Northern Ireland's first minister Michelle O'Neill, former first minister Baroness Arlene Foster, environment minister Andrew Muir and Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen. 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. 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. '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. '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 service finished with the singing of the hymn Nearer My God to Thee as the coffins left the church. The three wooden coffins were then carried side by side along the main road in the village as hundreds followed and many more lined the street. 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. - PA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Suspect in fatal shooting of mother and her two children in Northern Ireland dies in hospital
The suspect in the fatal shooting of a mother and her two children in Northern Ireland has died. Ian Rutledge, a 43-year-old agricultural worker, had himself suffered a gunshot wound in the village of Maguiresbridge in County Fermanagh on Wednesday morning. He was taken to hospital where he remained in a serious condition until the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced he had died on Monday evening. It is understood he was the only suspect in the murder investigation. a vet originally from County Clare, her son James, 14, and daughter Sara, 13, were all shot dead at a property on Drummeer Road during the attack. The PSNI said last week that all four people who were shot were members of the same household. Police have been investigating whether the attack was a triple murder and attempted suicide. A prayer service took place for Ms Whyte and the two children in Barefield, County Clare on Sunday, following a community vigil in Maguiresbridge last Friday. A funeral service is expected to take place in County Clare later this week. Following Mr Rutledge's death, the PSNI said detectives have "reiterated their appeal for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward". It comes after the PSNI issued an appeal on Saturday for information involving the movements of a vehicle. They have asked 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 22 July to call detectives on 101. Read more from Sky News: 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 scene of the incident in Drummeer Road in the days after the shooting.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Sky News
Suspect in fatal shooting of mother and her two children in Northern Ireland dies in hospital
The suspect in the fatal shooting of a mother and her two children in Northern Ireland has died. Ian Rutledge, a 43-year-old agricultural worker, had himself suffered a gunshot wound during the attack in the village of Maguiresbridge in County Fermanagh on Wednesday morning. He was taken to hospital where he remained in a serious condition until the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced he had died on Monday evening. It is understood he was the only suspect in the murder investigation. Vanessa Whyte, 45, a vet originally from County Clare, her son James, 14, and daughter Sara, 13, were all shot dead at a property on Drummeer Road during the attack. The PSNI said last week that all four people who were shot were members of the same household. Police have been investigating whether the attack was a triple murder and attempted suicide. A prayer service took place for Ms Whyte and the two children in Barefield, County Clare on Sunday, following a community vigil in Maguiresbridge last Friday. A funeral service is expected to take place in County Clare later this week. Following Mr Rutledge's death, the PSNI said detectives have "reiterated their appeal for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward". It comes after the PSNI issued an appeal on Saturday for information involving the movements of a vehicle. They have asked 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 22 July to call detectives on 101. 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 scene of the incident in Drummeer Road in the days after the shooting.
