Thousands bid final farewells to Aoife

Tears mingled with laughter as the people of Ballyroan in Co Laois gathered in thousands to remember a “beautiful, radiant, joyful star”.

The Ballyroan Brass Band led the cortege as murder victim Aoife Phelan was brought from her home to St Patrick’s Church in Ballyroan.

A live-in nanny, Aoife, 30, was murdered shortly after leaving a friend’s house in Portlaoise on Oct 25. Her remains were discovered buried near Portlaoise last Wednesday.