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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Lauren Harte

Natalie McNally: Lurgan rally hears renewed calls for an end to violence against women

Over 1,000 people have attended a rally in Co Armagh calling for an end to violence against women and to remember murdered Lurgan woman Natalie McNally.

Natalie, 32, was stabbed to death in her Silverwood Green home in Lurgan on Sunday 18 December - she was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.

Saturday afternoon's rally at Lurgan Park was co-ordinated by the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). Many carried placards reading "Justice for Natalie", and "She was only at home".

Read more: PSNI renew appeal ahead of Natalie McNally rally as CCTV remains key focus

Those attending were also asked to wear pink and blue in memory of Natalie and Dean, the baby boy she was carrying at the time of her murder.

The rally was attended by Natalie's parents Noel and Bernie and her brothers Brendan, Niall and Declan. A number of politicians were also in attendance, including Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill.

Brendan McNally told the large crowd that violence against women and girls is "one of the great scourges of our society" as he described his sister as an inspiration to other women.

He said: "Natalie was a remarkable person. From the age of three she lived with type one diabetes. However, it remains a testament to her character that she was never restrained in what she wanted to achieve in life.

"She was delighted to be becoming a mother for the first time. For any young person living with diabetes in Northern Ireland, Natalie is an ideal inspiration."

He added: "Violence against women and girls is one of the great scourges of our society. This is no basis for a shared future. The time has long come for us to recognise that we cannot rest until the perpetual assaults against women are ended for good."

More than 1,000 people gathered in Lurgan for a rally in memory of Natalie McNally (Jonathan Porter/PressEye)

Her other brother, Declan, introduced a video montage showing key moments from Natalie's life and said: "Please keep Natalie's partner in your thoughts and prayers. This is how we want Natalie to be remembered: A beautiful, fun-loving person."

Rachel Coyle, head of campaigns and mobilisation at the National Women's Council, said: "Natalie is the 16th woman who was murdered in similar circumstances last year. That is why we are here to continue to campaign for an end to violence against women.

"I live here in Lurgan. Women are afraid that this person has not been caught. This is a reality for women."

Despite numerous police appeals and several arrests, nobody has yet been charged over Natalie's death. Police have so far carried out hundreds of house-to-house inquiries and seized more than 4,000 hours of CCTV footage.

The rally was held hours after the PSNI renewed their appeal to find Natalie's killer.

Senior investigating officer detective chief inspector Neil McGuinness said: "We are committed to finding answers for Natalie's heartbroken family. It is shocking that the mother-to-be was brutally murdered in her own home, which should have been a place of safety for her.

"I would like to pay tribute to the continued fortitude of Natalie's family and thank them for all they are doing to support our investigation. The deaths of Natalie and her unborn baby have caused them unimaginable heartache.

"Not only are they trying to come to terms with the death of their only daughter and sister, they are also grieving the loss of Natalie's baby boy, who they have named Dean.

"Natalie's killer robbed all of them of meeting Dean and watching him grow up as part of their loving family. I would also like to thank the community of Lurgan and beyond for their support and for all the information people have brought to police. Please keep it coming."

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