The funeral of New York murder victim Sarah McNally took place today in Longford Town
The death of Sarah has “stopped us in our tracks," the congregation at her funeral Mass was told
“None of us wants to be here,” said Fr. Michael McGrath during his homily in St. Mel’s Cathedral
Added Fr. McGrath and as per a report in the Irish Times: “Sarah’s death ... has caused darkness to descend, especially on her family: her mother Dorrie, father Des, her grandmother Kathleen, and her aunts, uncles, relatives and extended family, and the wide circle of friends she has, both here and the far side of the Atlantic.
As we were welcoming the hope of Easter, he said, “the sirens on the street if New York signaled something unwelcome and sinister."
“From the shock and anger of disbelief, the week since her passing from us has brought us to face all kinds of dark emotions. “Those who knew Sarah best remember a vivacious young woman who loved life, her cars - her loud, souped up cars.
“Former colleagues remember her as the one who could have invented online shopping before it became the in-thing.
“But the stricter confines of a 9 to 5 office job in the civil service was never going to be enough to offer excitement for her. It was only a matter of time before she spread her wings and headed international.”
Sarah’s nature was “adventurous and generous," Fr. McGrath added, with “laughter and a sense of fun."
“She left behind a trail of joy for life and the darkness that has been suffered now can never cancel out all the good. In fact, it only makes the memories all the sweeter.”
Sarah, 41, had lived in New York for more than ten years and was working as a bartender at The Céilí House in Maspeth, Queens, when she was stabbed to death last week. She later died at Elmhurst Hospital.
Her former boyfriend, Marcin Pieciak, 36, from 76th Street in Glendale, Queens has been indicted on murder and weapons possession charges by a grand jury. Pieciak stabbed himself at the scene and was read the charges while in hospital.
He has been charged with murder in the second degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. He is expected to enter a plea on April 19, presumably in court.
