Hundreds of mourners attending a funeral service for murdered 22-year-old mother Donna Cleary last night were told by a local priest the tragedy of her death had "numbed" all of those present.
Ms Cleary was killed in the early hours of Sunday, March 5th, after shots were fired into a house in Coolock where she was attending a birthday party.
Addressing a packed St Luke the Evangelist church in Kilmore West, Fr Pat Littleton expressed his particular sympathy for Ms Cleary's two-year-old son Clayton; her parents, Peter and Kathleen; and her brothers, Keith and Glen.
"The tragedy that has taken Donna . . . and which has gathered us here together has numbed all of us. We are reeling under the blow, unable to think clearly, and aware of the cruel ways that life can end," he said.
Earlier, Ms Cleary's funeral cortege was escorted to the church by a Garda motorcycle team.
Fr Littleton said he also wished to thank those present on behalf of Ms Cleary's family. The first prayer was, he said, specifically for people with a "broken heart".
"I know it is a great consolation for them that so many people, so many of you, are with us here today," he said.
Ms Cleary's funeral mass takes place at 10am today. Among the floral messages which accompanied Ms Cleary's hearse was one with the simple message: "Mammy".
The Garda investigation into her death is ongoing, following the death in custody of chief suspect Dwayne Foster, who is also due to be buried today at Dardistown cemetery.