The proud grandfather of Ulster’s first sextuplets has hailed the birth of his grandchildren as ‘a miracle’. All the babies — delivered at Belfast’s Royal Jubilee Maternity Unit within just five minutes between 11.19am and 11.24am on Friday morning — remain in intensive care after being born 14 weeks early by caesarean section.

Doctors said the four girls and two boys, born to Tyrone couple Nuala and Austin Conway and weighing between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz, are “doing as well as can be expected”.

The first sextuplets born on the island of Ireland since records began, the Conway babies are the first sextuplets born in the UK since 1993 and were conceived without IVF.

Grandfather Arthur Donaghy, who lives at Galbally, near Dungannon, said he was still trying to come to terms with the miracle births.

Proud Arthur, who is supermum Nuala’s father, said the family are just praying that all the babies are healthy.

At his home he said: “I am still coming to terms with the fact that I have six grandchildren. It is a real miracle.

“The births may have made history but what we care about is that the children are healthy. The staff at the hospital have been brilliant. They have been giving them first class treatment.

“These children will have the best parents in Nuala and Austin. We are remaining in close contact with them for updates on the babies.”

The babies were delivered by a 30 strong expert medical team, who have been preparing for weeks in advance for the extraordinary birth.

Proceedings were led by Dr Clifford Mayes who said it was “an extraordinary thing to have witnessed”.

Although he wouldn’t comment further on the condition of the babies he said: “This is both a happy time and a potentially difficult time. We have planned very carefully for today and it went as well as we had hoped it would.”

Lead midwife during the birth, Patricia Denvir said it had gone well and described the couple, who are in their twenties, as “very composed”.

She added: “It is a very emotional time but it’s also very stressful for all concerned. The mother did very well.”

Mum Nuala remains in hospital with her children at the Royal’s neo-natal unit.

As supervisor of Oasis at Tempest in Cookstown, kind-hearted Nuala helped other parents in the position she is now in by organising a fundraiser for Antrim Area Hospital’s neo-natal unit in 2007.

It is thought Nuala and Austin believed she was expecting twins until Easter time, when a check up revealed the first time parents could expect to welcome six babies into the world.

Doctors told Nuala she would have to remain in hospital as they monitored her condition and that of her babies.

It is understood her cabinet maker husband, who works at Loughwood Kitchens, travelled regularly from their home in the Tyrone village of Dunamore to visit his heavily pregnant wife in hospital before the sextuplets were born.

Parish priest in Kildress Father Patrick Hughes told Sunday Life he had been “delighted” to hear news of the Conway sextuplets.

He said: “I haven’t see the babies yet but I have known they were expected since around Easter time so there has been much excitement. They didn’t have any children before so they certainly have their hands full now with six all at once, they’ve only been married for a few years.”

The couple married at Nuala’s local St Johns Church in Galbally in June 2006. |Father Hughes said he wasn’t aware if multiple births were common in Nuala or Austin’s family but said he knew relatives would be rallying round to help out.

“They are both from quite large families, and good families who I’m sure will offer them all the support they need during this time.”

The priest added locals were eager to welcome the sextuplets home: “When the babies are up to full strength we’ll very much look forward to welcoming them home to Dunamore, it will be a big event for the parish.”

Few people in the small and isolated rural community where the couple live knew they were expecting a multiple birth until it was announced by hospital staff.

But as news spread, messages of love and support were sent to the couple by locals.

The births are the first sextuplets in the UK since the Waltons, all girls, who were born in Liverpool in 1983.

The birth of sextuplets is extremely rare, occurring in about one out of 4.5 million pregnancies.