All morning local, national and international media outlets gathered at Glencull Primary School in readiness for a funeral which was painstakingly planned by the local church and meticulously marshalled by hundreds of members from gaelic clubs across the county.<br/><br/>After seven unimaginably painful days a since the body of Michaela was discovered by her husband John a the distraught Harte and McAreavey families bravely carried her remains, oblivious in their grief to the dozens of camera lenses trained upon them.<br/><br/>The funeral cortege stopped in front of the small primary school as the coffin was carefully lifted into the hearse. <br/><br/>Mickey Harte a who had described Michaela as his team's number one supporter a comforted his son-in-law John McAreavey as the hearse continued on its slow procession to St Malachy's Church in the rural parish of Errigal.<br/><br/>Many of the journalists, having spent days frantically reporting on the murder which sent shockwaves around the world, simply bowed their heads as they stood on the roadside, lost for words as the devastation etched upon the families' faces brought home the reality and magnitude of this tragedy.<br/><br/>Household names from the Tyrone senior gaelic football team, together with members of the local club Errigal Ciaran, provided a guard of honour wearing tops specially commissioned for the sombre occasion.<br/><br/>Their legendary team spirit, which powered them to three All-Ireland titles, was never needed more as they helped their distraught manager in his hour of need by simply walking by his side on a bright but cold winter's morning.<br/><br/>Live footage from the funeral was relayed on the internet, and also to a large television in a media marquee set up at the primary school.<br/><br/>Again reporters stood in silence as they listened to the Bishop of Dromore, John McAreavey, the groom's uncle, tell the congregation that the newly-wed couple "lived for one another and supported each other".<br/><br/>Their lives revolved around one another, he said, and each talked endlessly about the other.<br/><br/>Details of Michaela's life had been well documented in the days since her death, but the presentation of gifts to the altar representing her strongly held beliefs helped evoke further the spirit with which she had lived and the lasting impression she had made on others.<br/><br/>The 27-year-old teacher had been a pioneer, someone who did not drink alcohol on religious grounds. <br/><br/>She was crowned the Ulster Rose in the Rose of Tralee beauty contest in 2004.<br/><br/>Bishop McAreavey said "we are all still in a state of shock", a simple sentiment shared by every mourner, public representative and member of the media at yesterday's funeral.<br/><br/>For many in Tyrone the prevailing memory of Michaela will be her celebration with her father in Croke Park in 2003 when her county won the All-Ireland for the first time, a victory she had famously predicted.<br/><br/>The families will still have to face the court trials of those charged with the killing, but yesterday they were finally able to lay their beloved Michaela to rest, and this they did with the utmost dignity and a display of inner strength which they will need in the difficult days ahead.
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