Tributes have been paid to an Irish woman who died following a stabbing incident in New York at the weekend.
41-year-old Sarah McNally died following the incident at the Céilí House pub in Maspeth in Queens on Saturday evening.
A man also suffered stab wounds in the incident. Police in New York say investigations are ongoing.
Fianna Fáil TD for Longford-Westmeath Joe Flaherty described Ms McNally as a "wonderful young woman, bright, vivacious, witty and charismatic" who went to the US "full of hope".
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Flaherty said it was "tragic and deeply upsetting news".
He added that Ms McNally’s family is "steeped in the local community".
"By all accounts, it was a very happy life and everything was going well for her in New York, which makes this news all the more harrowing and upsetting for people that know her," he said.
"I cannot imagine a worse call for a parent to get. It's truly traumatic and I understand her heartbroken mother is flying out to be with Sarah this morning and that's a journey that no parent wants to have to undertake."
Earlier, the Cathaoirleach of the Longford municipal district said Longford town has been left "in a state of shock" following Ms McNally's death.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Councillor Martin Monaghan said Ms McNally was well-known around the town.
"She would’ve been an integral part of Longford life [before moving to New York] having worked in bars in Longford," he said.
Mr Monaghan described Ms McNally's family as "really, really decent Longford people".
He added: "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.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time and a tragedy away from home makes things an awful lot worse," he said.
