There were moving scenes in Derry yesterday at the funeral of a mother and daughter.
The mother, who is believed to have poisoned her daughter before taking her own life, was yesterday buried alongside her.
Madeleine O'Neill (41), and nine-year-old Lauren were found dead by a friend at their home just outside Belfast.
Mrs O'Neill's husband, John, and her parents, John and Ann, led several hundred mourners at the joint funeral Mass. Fr Colm O'Doherty told the congregation at St Eugene's cathedral in Derry that it was hard to come to terms with what had happened.
He said: "None of us in our wildest dreams and nightmares could have ever believed that we would be gathering in this place of prayer to say farewell to these two young people, whose passing from this life has left such pain and devastation behind.
"A word that has been used so much these past few days to try and put some meaning on the deaths of Madeleine and Lauren is the word 'tragedy'.
"Yes this is an absolute human tragedy which none of us can explain. The depths of the mind can never be fully fathomed and none of us will ever know what was going on in those last few hours for Madeleine and Lauren.
"All sorts of theories and stories have been aired and yet the main one, that Madeleine loved Lauren and Lauren loved her mammy, despite the terrible events of July 12th, will be their lasting epitaph."
After the requiem Mass, the mother and daughter were buried in the same grave at Ballyoan cemetery.
Fr O'Doherty said Mrs O'Neill's loved ones were struggling to come to terms with the double bereavement. "It has been absolute heartbreak for the family. They have a very large family on both sides. They are totally devastated but they have given each other great support."
The bodies of two pet dogs were also discovered at the detached house in Carryduff, Co Down.
It is believed Mrs O'Neill (nee Gormley), whose marriage broke up earlier this year, suffered from bouts of depression.
Her husband was not at the Manse Road property, which is for sale, and police confirmed they were not looking for anyone else.