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Last year the family spent Christmas Day preparing to bury their beloved Natalie, murdered along with her unborn son, who the family later named Dean.
Monday marks one year since Natalie — full of excitement after cheering on Argentina in the World Cup final — left her parents’ home for the last time.
Her body was discovered two days later. She had been brutally murdered.
Noel and Bernie McNally at home holding a picture of Natalie (Photo by Kevin Scott)
Stephen McCullagh (32), of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, was charged with Natalie’s murder in February.
The case is awaiting a Crown Court trial date, expected to be towards the end of 2024. He denies the charge.
Noel and Bernie McNally at home holding a picture of daughter Natalie McNally. Picture: Kevin Scott
Natalie’s parents Bernie and Noel say the last year has been a “living nightmare” made only bearable by the memories they have of their daughter, and the support of friends and family.
Huge NI Crown Court backlog means no new trials scheduled until autumn 2024 Case against alleged killer of Natalie McNally ready to go to Crown Court: PPS
Once the happiest of homes, it is now filled with photographs and memories of the life they once had, stolen from them after the murder of their daughter and much-longed-for grandson.
“Every year we’d have decorated this house from top to bottom, people joked it was like the Home Alone house,” said Noel.
“We’d all the decorations up. The house was covered in decorations when the police called to tell us Natalie was dead, which was just horrible, and we’d to start taking them down. Well, other people did that for us.
“This year there doesn’t seem much point.”
Bernie said Christmas was always a big deal for the family.
“We’d have people for dinner and then others would call in that night, sometimes it would run into day two,” she said.
“Natalie loved Christmas and she loved her decorations as well and always had a big tree. She’d a wee rainbow tree as well, so we’ll put that up just for her.”
On Christmas Day last year Natalie’s coffin lay in the sitting room of the family home.
The McNally family have spent the last year campaigning for Women’s Aid
A steady stream of well-wishers called as her parents and three brothers struggled to comprehend their loss.
“It’s all just a blur, it feels like one long day, from the police came to say she was dead, to Natalie coming home, then everything that happened after that,” recalled Bernie.
The McNally family say they have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support they have received since her murder.
The McNally family have spent the last year campaigning for Women’s Aid
Much respected in the community, the family’s Craigavon neighbours rallied round, and are still supporting them one year on.
“A woman down the road knocked the door a few weeks ago and asked could she put her decorations up,” said Noel.
“We thought it was a strange request. She said her mother was dying and that this could be her last Christmas. We said of course, we want everyone else to enjoy their Christmas, but it showed how much she was thinking of us.
“We would be annoyed if the neighbours didn’t enjoy their Christmas. There’s wee children live in some of the houses, and our Natalie loved Christmas.”
Natalie was an only girl with brothers Declan, Niall and Brendan, who adored her.
Since her death, along with their parents, her brothers have thrown themselves into campaigning, raising awareness of violence against women and girls and raising much-needed funds for Women’s Aid.
The last 12 months they’ve attended dozens of events and raised thousands for the charity.
“The first thing we did was in Dublin, Natalie’s best friend and cousin Gemma Doran organised a power brunch,” said Noel.
“I’d never even heard of a power brunch, but she organised it and money was collected for Women’s Aid.”
Comforted by helping others, they have continued since.
“We had a power brunch then in Lurgan and it was great, the work people put into it, it was just a great day for all the women there and the money raised was brilliant,” said Bernie.
“We’ve been to a few vigils as well for Women’s Aid.”
Noel added: “We were at a vigil on Thursday when they read the names of all the women murdered through domestic violence. It was very emotional.”
Bernie said: “It just brings it home to you when you hear all their names.
“And when you hear of all the work Women’s Aid do, and they’ve cut their funding despite the vital service they do in society.
“It wasn’t something I thought much about in the past, we’d no experience of that as a family, and we should be all talking about it more because it is shameful.
“It never touched us, any of that. But what we know now from what we’ve learned the last year and how it is affecting women and children… because there are children caught up as well.”
Natalie was a feminist and an active campaigner, particularly passionate about women’s rights and equality.
The family have printed 1,000 2024 calendars with her image to raise money for Women’s Aid.
“Campaigning has been a great comfort to us — to think that you can do something positive,” said Bernie.
Noel added: “Our Natalie’s death was just horrific. If some good can come from it, it gives us a bit of hope, a bit of comfort.
“If that had happened to someone else, Natalie would be at the forefront of helping other families, she would have been helping organise events, that’s what she was into, that’s the kind of person she was — supporting people, helping people, that’s just who she was.”
On Monday the family will mark a year since her death by holding a small private memorial at the exact time when Natalie left her parents’ house, smiling and joking. The last time they would see her alive.
Bernie said: “It’s been hard, her birthday was so hard, and then my birthday. Mother’s Day was really sad — I found that very, very difficult.
“I don’t know how the anniversary will go, because you remember all the years before, the happy times.”
Noel said: “When I think of Christmas now, I think of Natalie’s coffin in the wee room on Christmas Day. That’s my Christmas now, and always will be.”
Natalie’s humanist service took place on Boxing Day last year. She was buried in St Colman’s Cemetery in Lurgan.
On the anniversary the family say they will visit the grave “as we always do” and then come together with friends to play the music their daughter loved.
“It’s hard to go on, but we will go on… we’ll go on for Natalie,” Bernie added.
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