Family grieve a year after Davy’s murder

It’s a year since Craigavon man Davy Neill was stabbed to death but his family feel the grief as if it were only yesterday.
Parkmore Murder victim Davy Neill. INPT38-209Parkmore Murder victim Davy Neill. INPT38-209
Parkmore Murder victim Davy Neill. INPT38-209

Daughters Nicole Neill and Kirsty Cahoon as well as Davy’s partner Cathy Cahoon have been finding it difficult to cope after he was brutally stabbed outside their home at Parkmore on September 16 last year.

Mr Neill was attacked close to his front door in Craigavon’s Parkmore estate at around 12.30am that Sunday morning.

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The 46-year-old father of two bled profusely from a torso wound before dying at Craigavon Area Hospital.

He is regarded as a hero to his friends who he was protecting when he was violently stabbed during the early morning attack.

Speaking to The Mail this week, the family say they are still in shock and grieving for Davy. They found the trauma of his violent death too difficult to bear.

The bad memories of Parkmore have since forced them to move home and they are trying to rebuild their lives

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David’s daughter Kirsty Cahoon, who was with her father when he was fighting for his life, said this past year was very difficult for the whole family.

“I can’t believe it has been a year. All our family and friends have been very supportive,” she said.

“But we just had to move out of Parkmore. It just held such a bad memory,” said Kirsty, who was just 19 years old when her father was murdered.

“We found it very hard to cope. We were very close to our dad and we miss him an awful lot,” she told the Mail.

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Davy’s partner Cathy Cahoon said everyone misses him so much.

She said that, while they could not face living in Parkmore, they still have a lot of good memories of Davy.

“Everyone in the family has been very strong, Nicole has started back to school and Kirsty is working away. They are doing well, despite what happened to their daddy,” said Cathy.

“I am very proud of them.”

Nicole, who misses and loves her dad very much, said she can’t believe it is almost a year since he died.

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“I thought things were getting easier but I’m just sitting here looking round and he’s not here.

“And then I just cry and think of all the good memories we had,” she said.

Nicole believes that all the special memories she has of her dad are keeping her going.

The girls regularly write on a special Facebook page called R.I.P Wee Davy G.B.N.F set up last year as a memorial to their father.

Family and friends regularly leave messages and chat – a tribute to how many hold the memory of Davy Neill so dear.

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