VIDEO: Body of Karen Buckley is brought home to Cork

Exactly two weeks after her murder in Glasgow, the body of Karen Buckley returned to her home in Mourneabbey in Co Cork.

Mon, 27 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Conall Ó Fá;tharta

The remains of the student, 24, arrived at Cork Airport from Scotland shortly after 2.30pm yesterday on a specially chartered Aer Lingus-Stobart Air flight, which also carried her parents John and Marian and her brothers Brendan, Kieran, and Damien.

John and Marian Buckley and their sons arrive back in Cork Airport yesterday afternoon.

The family left the plane to meet a minibus shuttle, accompanied by a priest. A coffin containing the remains of Ms Buckley was then placed aboard a silver hearse before making its way back to her native village of Mourneabbey in North Cork.

It is believed that the family held a prayer and rosary service yesterday evening at their home so that friends, relatives and neighbours could pray and remember the young occupational therapy student.

Ms Buckley will lie in repose at O’Connell’s Funeral Home, St James’ Ave, Mallow, today between 4pm and 8pm, followed by removal to the Church of St Michael the Archangel, Analeentha.

A funeral Mass will be held at the Church of St Michael the Archangel, Analeentha at 2pm tomorrow, before burial at St John’s Cemetery in nearby Burnfort.

Huge numbers, including mourners travelling from Scotland, are expected to turn out for the funeral and Mallow gardaí have put a detailed plan in place to cope with the volume of people expected to visit the village to support the Buckley family.

A one-way traffic system will be in operation, while volunteers from sport and community groups in Mourneabbey have offered their assistance.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the man accused of Ms Buckley’s murder made no plea after being charged. Alexander Pacteau, aged 21, of Dorchester Ave, Glasgow, appeared in court in the city for the second time since being charged with her murder and with attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

He was fully committed and remanded in custody. He is expected to stand trial later this year. The murder charge reads that Mr Pacteau compressed the neck of Karen Buckley. It is also alleged that he put her body in a plastic barrel and concealed it in a storage shed.