The funeral cortege for Ruth Maguire making its way to St Vincent de Paul Church in Belfast ahead of the funeral Brian Lawless Brian Lawless

THE FUNERAL OF RUTH Maguire, a mother-of-three who went missing during a hen party last week, has taken place. 

Ruth Maguire (30), from Newcastle, Co Down, had last been seen close to midnight last Saturday night in the county Louth village of Carlingford.

She was part of a group of 32 women on a hen party.

Searches began on sunday and carried into Monday to try to find Maguire. 

The coffin of Ruth Maguire being carried from Saint Vincent de Paul church, Ligoniel, Belfast, following the funeral mass Brian Lawless Brian Lawless

Among the groups involved in the search were Irish Coastguard Rescue helicopter, the Mourne Mountain Rescue, Bangor Coastguard with their specially trained search dog, Belfast coastguard and Dundalk sub-aqua search and rescue.

In a statement on Monday, gardaí said the body of a woman had been discovered in the water at Carlingford Lough. Searches were then stood down.

RNLI members arrive for the funeral service Brian Lawless Brian Lawless

Maguire’s funeral Mass took place at St Vincent de Paul Church in Belfast, Co Antrim this morning at 9am. She was then taken to Carnmoney Cemetery for committal at 11am.

The Belfast Telegraph reported that Maguire, who was due to marry her partner in August, was buried in her wedding dress.

With reporting by Sean Murray and Elaine Keogh