The removal of Ms Nicola Sweeney (20), who was murdered in her home in Cork on Saturday night, took place in her father's native parish of Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, last night.
Mourners, many of them young local friends of Nicola and others who travelled from Cork, filed past the coffin for over 2½ hours.
Her remains were then carried the short distance from Brennan's funeral home to the church of St James.
Ms Sweeney was well known in this little seaside town, where she was a regular visitor with her father, John, mother Josephine, a native of nearby Beaufort, near Killarney, and her young brothers, Sean (17) and Christopher (4).
Ms Sweeney's uncle, Mr Brendan Sweeney, is the owner of both the Towers Hotel and the Village Pub, next door to the funeral home. Mr Michael Cahill, former chairman of Kerry County Council, and the Southern Health Board, said Ms Sweeney was very popular locally where she had a number or close friends. Everyone was in complete shock, he said.
The family were well known and well respected in the locality, he said. Among the mourners who came to pay their respects last night were Mr John O'Donoghue, the Minister for Justice, and Mr Jackie Healy-Rae. Mr Micheál Muircheartaigh, sports commentator and GAA personality, attended along with other GAA personalities.
Mr Jack O'Shea, a former Kerry footballer, is an uncle-in-law of Ms Sweeney and was among the chief mourners.
The funeral Mass will take place at noon today and burial will follow at Churchtown cemetery, Beaufort.