Two young women, blonde hair, bright smiles and even brighter futures; at a glance you could almost mistake them for sisters. Between Natalie McNally and Amy Doherty sit the names of 13 other women, and more if you count girls. Outside the courtroom, McNally’s brother Declan spoke to the media and called violence against women and girls the “shame of our society”, and he is correct. For our small population, we are outstripping other jurisdictions in one area over all others – the murder of women. The conflict also remains a drain on the financial resources of the state; legacy costs millions to police and administer.

Source: The Irish Times March 29, 2026 09:59 UTC