Tributes paid to ‘gentle, innocent’ church-going girl who died in Malaysian jungle

Family and friends of Nora Quoirin gathered in Belfast to say farewell in the church where she was baptised as a baby, St Brigid’s.

The body of the 15-year-old from London was cremated earlier on Tuesday morning.

Nora was found dead after a 10-day search around the Malaysian jungle resort of Dusun last month.

The teenager – who was born with the brain defect holoprosencephaly and was described by her family as “vulnerable” – disappeared on August 4.

Nora lived in London and was the daughter of French-Irish parents Sebastien and Meabh Quoirin.

Unidentified mourners arriving for the funeral mass of Nora Quoirin at St Brigid’s Church, Belfast. The 15-year-old died after disappearing from the Malaysian jungle resort of Dusun during a family holiday in August

The principal celebrant for the funeral service was parish priest Fr Edward O’Donnell, who was joined by Fr Pat Kelly, Nora’s great uncle.

Addressing a packed church, Fr O’Donnell reflected on the girl’s baptism as he told mourners of the joy Nora had brought to her family in her short life.

He described her as “gentle and innocent”.

Meabh Quoirin arriving for the funeral mass of her daughter Nora at St Brigid’s Church, Belfast.

“Nora was very special, she brought so much joy to Meabh and…