Tragic Deirdre buried in Cork

The six-year-old girl who was abducted and shot dead by her father in Co Tipperary earlier this week was buried today.

The funeral took place today of the abducted six-year-old Cork girl who was shot dead by her father after the pair spent 20 months on the run.

Christopher Crowley, 44, shot his daughter Deirdre with a sawn-off shotgun and then turned the weapon on himself after detectives tracked him down to his home in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, last Thursday.

The two had been living at the house for several months - less then 60 miles from the Cork home of Mr Crowley’s partner and Deirdre’s mother Christine O’Sullivan, from whom he kidnapped the child in December 1999.

Deirdre was buried this afternoon at Kishkeam cemetery alongside her maternal grandfather after a funeral service in Ballydesmond where Ms O’Sullivan, 39, spoke of praying for her daughter’s safe return.

It is thought she was initially told Mr Crowley and the child had been found before learning of their deaths.

But she told mourners at the church that in her despair she knew she would see Deirdre again.

Placed on top of the six-year-old’s white coffin were a pair of shoes, a Barbie doll and a favourite book.

Mr Crowley is due to be buried in Cork tomorrow.

Plain clothes officers visited Mr Crowley’s rented cottage on Thursday afternoon, at which point it is understood Deirdre was locked in the bathroom.

They returned 10 minutes later after hearing a "muffled" sound to find a firearm beside the two bodies.

An internal garda investigation into the circumstances surrounding the double shooting has been launched.

In Clonmel, there was surprise that Mr Crowley, who had grown a beard and wore a baseball cap, had been able to keep the girl in hiding.