Crime & Law

Tributes left at Queens bar where Irish woman Sarah McNally died in alleged knife attack

Longford native (41) had lived in New York for more than 10 years and worked at Céilí House, where incident occurred on Saturday night

Sarah McNally. Photograph: Mary McNally/Facebook

Michael Fitzpatrick
Jessica Thompson
Mon Apr 1 2024 - 20:34

Floral tributes have been left at the Irish bar in New York City where 41-year-old Sarah McNally died after an alleged knife attack on Saturday night.

Ms McNally, a Longford native, had lived in New York for more than 10 years and had worked as a bartender at The Céilí House in Queens.

The Irish pub is located in Maspeth, a neighbourhood inhabited by many Irish emigrants, and close to other one-time Irish strongholds Sunnyside and Woodside.

Police were called to the bar after 6.30pm on Saturday, where they found Ms McNally severely injured, having suffered significant wounds to her upper body. A man was also found with injuries to his back and neck, according to police sources.

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Both Ms McNally and the man were taken to nearby Elmhurst Hospital, where they were listed as being in critical condition. The Longford woman, however, died shortly afterwards from her injuries.

Sarah McNally had lived in New York for more than 10 years, and had worked at several bars and restaurants in Queens and Manhattan. One former colleague described her as “a fun girl, great company”.

Since Sunday morning, locals have been leaving candles and flowers outside the bar in her memory.

Lorna Fitzgerald, a schoolfriend and cousin of Ms McNally, said that she was “such a lovely person”.

“Everyone is still in shock, like, how? Why? And it’s just not fair.”

The Kevin Bell Trust is currently liaising with NYPD and officials in New York to make arrangements to bring home Ms McNally’s remains, according to a local TD in her hometown of Longford.

Ms McNally maintained “a very strong bond” with the locality and her family, according to Joe Flaherty, who said the local area is “numbed and shocked” by the news of her tragic loss.

“Sarah would be from a very well known family in Longford,” said Mr Flaherty.

“She worked for a number of years in Valentine’s pub and then she worked later in the prison service before she moved to the US.

“She had a small circle of friends but she kept in touch with them when she left, and maintained very strong ties with the town.

“She had a unique bond with her mother, Dorothy – they were more like sisters than mother and daughter, and she was very close to her father, Des, too.

“The news of her death has been devastating and the town is shocked and numbed,” he continued.

Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District and Longford business-owner Martin Monaghan told RTÉ that the town has been left in “a state of shock” at the loss of Ms McNally.

“It’s very cruel. People struggle to say the right words at this time and there’s little anyone can say to make things better for Sarah’s parents,” he said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time and a tragedy away from home makes things an awful lot worse.”

Ms McNally was educated at St Emer’s National School and Mean Scoil Mhuire in Longford town and was remembered by Longford’s Cllr Gerry Warnock as “a lovely soul”.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Dorrie, Dessie and Sarah’s extended family and many friends,” he said.

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