Michelle Dockery mourns fiance at funeral

Actress Michelle Dockery. Photo / AP

Actress Michelle Dockery has joined mourners at a funeral service in Cork, Ireland to bid farewell to her fiance John Dineen.

Dineen, 34, died on Sunday at the Marymount Hospice in Cork, reportedly following a battle with a rare form of cancer.

He got engaged to marry the Downton Abbey star earlier this year and she cut short a press trip in the US after discovering his health crisis.

Dockery, who turned 34 on Tuesday, spent her birthday evening with Dineen's parents Maria and Patrick and that night they followed her fiance's coffin into St James' Church in Ballinora, near his family home, for a small gathering ahead of the service.

The actress returned to the Catholic church on Wednesday to join his friends and family for the private funeral mass led by Father Declan Mansfield, according to People.com.

Her representative asked for privacy following news of his death, issuing a statement which reads, "The family is very grateful for the support and kindness they have received but would kindly request that they are left to grieve in private".

Dockery and Dineen are believed to have begun dating in 2013 following an introduction from her co-star Allen Leech.

Her onscreen mother Elizabeth McGovern appeared on UK TV show Lorraine on Wednesday and said she would pass on the host's message of condolence, replying, "I will. I'm sure she'll appreciate that."

- WENN