The heartache and pain was only too real on Thursday evening as a vigil was held for murdered Banbridge woman Karen Cummings.
Hundreds gathered in Solitude Park in a sombre tribute to a life cruelly taken – leaving two children without their mother on the mouth on Christmas.
Karen Cummings was 40-years-old when she was murdered in her Laurel Heights home in Banbridge last Saturday evening.
She is the 25th woman murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020.
Tonight’s vigil was organised by Women’s Aid Armagh-Down, and many gathered with candles and the names of women whose lives have also been taken – Natalie McNally, Katie Simpson, and others.
It was a sombre affair, and few spoke, instead reflecting on how things have gotten so bad, and what can be done to put an end to this senseless violence.
The vigil was opened by Deputy Lord Mayor Kyle Savage, and addressed by Eileen Murphy, the CEO of Women’s Aid Armagh Down.
Also speaking was Noel McNally, the father of Natalie McNally, who was murdered in her Lurgan home, almost to the date, two years ago.
He said: “Hopefully we can put a message across that violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland has to come to an end. The more people like you that stand up to these people – the men that do this violence against women – the better.”
Those who gathered were a mix of all sectors of society. There were politicians, unionists, and nationalists, united in sorrow and grief.
Two men accused of the murder appeared in court this week.
Glenn Robert King, 32, of no fixed abode in Lurgan, and Kevin Paul McGuigan, 42, of Annacloy Park in Hillsborough, are both charged with murder.
McGuigan is further charged with possession of a firearm, namely a Baikal double barrel shotgun and ammunition, namely 4 x 12 bore cartridges. He also faces a single count of handling stolen goods.
The court heard that Cummings, a well-respected paediatric nurse at Daisy Hill Hospital, suffered a gunshot wound to her head. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
No bail application was made for either of the accused, and both are due back before Banbridge Magistrates’ Court on January 9.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up by Karen’s friend Emma Lavery to help support her children. It has already raised over £3,000.
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