The Jehovah's Witness community in Cork gathered in mourning yesterday to pay farewell tributes to Ms Rachel Kiely, the 23-year-old beautician who was murdered near her home at Ballincollig last Thursday.
A Garda murder hunt involving some 50 detectives is under way and known sex offenders have been questioned in an attempt to find the killer.
Ms Kiely had been due to attend a Bible class on the evening of her murder.
The attack on her occurred between 5.10 p.m. and 7.20 p.m. Ms Kiely's body was found in bushes adjoining a playing area.
Her mother, Mrs Rose Kiely, raised the alarm when the dogs her daughter had been walking returned alone to her home at Inishmore Square, Ballincollig.
Gardai believe that Ms Kiely's attacker may have been disturbed at the scene and killed her in panic.
Some 300 mourners from throughout Ireland were present at the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Cork for the funeral service led by her uncle, Mr Max Warden, an elder of the church in Britain.
The death of his niece, he told the congregation, had left a hole in the heart of her family but in keeping with the firm conviction of their faith they knew they would see Rachel again in a better life.
"Rachel was a beautiful girl both inside and out. She was a really lovely person. If you went to her room you would always see the Bible open. She was always reading from it. She loved the Bible and she loved Jehovah.
"During the past month, she was going from house to house, preaching the word of God. She really loved our God, Jehovah.
"People are asking why something like this should happen to a righteous woman such as Rachel but the answer is to be found in the Bible. Rachel learned at an early age that Jehovah loved all mankind," Mr Warden said.
The final prayer was read by Mr Noel May, one of the nine elders of the community in Cork.
Graveside prayers at St Oliver's Cemetery were read by Mr Manfred Kugler and Mr Liam Boland. The chief mourners were parents, Mr John and Rose Kiely; sisters, Sarah (25), Rosaline (19) and Elisabeth (17); and brother, Jason (21).