Funeral of mum and two teenagers to take place in County Clare

Vanessa Whyte and her children James and Sara Rutledge were fatally shot in Maguiresbridge last Wednesday

The three family members died in a shooting incident in County Fermanagh last Wednesday
Author: Tara GriffithsPublished 2nd Aug 2025

A mother and her two children who were fatally shot in County Fermanagh last week will be laid to rest later.

Vanessa Whyte and her two teenagers James and Sara Rutledge were discovered at a property in Drummeer Road in Maguiresbridge on July, 23.

Two were pronounced dead at the scene while a third died later in hospital.

Hours later police said a man from the same household was in hospital with gunshot wounds.

The PSNI launched a murder investigation and said a triple murder and attempted suicide was a line of inquiry.

Earlier this week a service of removal took place at Saint Mary's Church in Maguiresbridge.

The coffins of the three family members were then taken to Barefield in County Clare, where Ms Whyte was originally from, for their funeral Mass today.

The trio will then be buried together in Templemaley Cemetery.

On Friday hundreds gathered in the village to pay their respects to Vanessa, Sara and James as they lay in repose together.

The suspect in the killings 43-year-old Ian Rutledge died on Monday night in hospital.

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