Following the death of one of the Conway sextuplets, |Victoria O’Hara reports on the multiple birth which made newspaper headlines right across the world

Nuala and Austin Conway on their wedding day and, above, their home near Cookstown

IT was a day of celebration across Northern Ireland when the news broke that Nuala Conway made history after giving birth to six babies.

The arrival of Ireland’s first sextuplets, Ursula, Austin, Shannon, Karla, Eoghan and Kerrie, happened in the Royal Victoria Hospital Jubilee Maternity Unit in Belfast on May 22 when they were delivered by a specialist team in just five minutes.

The “miracle birth” sparked massive national interest as they were conceived without the aid of IVF and were born by Caesarean section — which involved 30 hospital staff.

Both Mrs Conway (26) and her husband, Austin (25), were able to briefly hold the four girls and two boys — who were 14-weeks premature — before they were taken into the intensive care unit.

The couple, who are from Dunamore in Co Tyrone, became the parents of the first UK sextuplets for 25 years with it happening in only one out of 4.5 million pregnancies.

Each baby weighed between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz, and initial reports had said they were all doing well, despite remaining in intensive care.

A family member said at the time of the birth everyone was “all so excited”.

“They both just want some time to come to terms with what has happened, they don't want to talk to anyone about it until all the babies are a bit stronger.”

The multiple birth led to messages of congratulations from around the UK as the last sextuplets to be born in Britain were the Walton sisters from Liverpool in 1983.

Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness were among the many to pass on their best wishes.

Following the birth Mrs Conway revealed she ignored medical advice and put her faith in God over their safe delivery.

She had been warned about the high risks of carrying six foetuses and was advised to abort some of them at 14 weeks.

However, the couple refused to let doctors intervene.

She told the Sunday Express “I'm in love with every single one of them.

“I fell in love when they were in the womb.

“When one moved they would all move and I could definitely feel 24 limbs kicking.

“Every day seems like a year. Every minute seems like an hour.

“I just want time to go faster so they can get home. I just want to have a cuddle with them.”

The babies, who have been baptised, had survived the most critical early hours and days, but were still classed as being in a high risk of infection.

Speaking in June, Mr Conway said: “The babies have been on and off antibiotics and ventilators.

“They are thriving really well, but it’s hard to get a good day. There are so many of them, there are always days when one or two will not be doing so well.”

Mrs Conway added: “These babies are a wonderful gift from God.

“Whatever God laid out for our lives, we were taking it.”