Niall Rafferty

Evil-doer
Full Name	Matthew McQueen
Alias	Niall Rafferty (adoptive name) Matthew Brownlow
Origin	Hollyoaks
Occupation	Hair stylist
Powers / Skills	N/A
Goals	Have revenge on the McQueens Have revenge on Steph Dean
Crimes	Stalking Abduction Assault Drugging Murder
Type of Villain	Homicidal Psychopath

“	You think that I deserve to die? Why do you deserve to live? You're just shallow, promiscuous, adulterous, selfish, spoiled...and so cheap that I'm ashamed to be related to you.	„
	~ Niall's monologue to his family when he holds them captive.

Niall Rafferty (born Matthew McQueen) is a major antagonist in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks when it aired between 2007 and 2008.

He is the illegitimate and long-lost son of Myra McQueen and Martin Brownlow, who seeks to exact revenge on her and her daughters.

He is portrayed by Barry Sloane and Devon Jackson in flashbacks.

Personality

Niall was intentionally created as a mysterious, vague person when his character was being thought of. It is clear that he is traumatised by his past and has a sensitivity for abandonment. He shows no remorse in his vengeful acts.

Physical appearance

Niall has strong cheekbones and is Caucasian. He tended to dress in casual clothing, including hoodies to remain mysterious and a low profile.

Biography

Background

At the age of 14, Myra gave birth to Niall (whom she named Matthew) after sleeping with someone called Martin Brownlow. Myra decided to give Matthew away. Matthew was adopted by Mr. Rafferty, who named him Niall.

Hollyoaks

Niall arrives in the village where he is employed as a hair stylist. He locates the McQueen family and slowly infiltrates their lives. He befriends Carmel McQueen, his co-worker and sister and then her mother, Myra. When Niall meets Carmel's elder and wiser sister, Jacqui, he she becomes suspicious of him.

Taken by Niall's charm, Myra invites Niall to Christmas. When Christmas comes, Niall steals a family photo of the McQueens and burns it. Set on exacting his revenge, he begins a tirade against the McQueens. First, he drugs Michaela McQueen (his sister) with heroin, and manages to convince the family that she is an addict.

Then, Niall reports Myra for committing benefit fraud, tries to divide Carmel McQueen and her boyfriend, Calvin Valentine and attacks Marlena McQueen, his grandmother. Niall later inadvertently causes the death of Max Cunningham by hitting him with a car when Max tries to save his younger brother.

Niall then falls in love with Steph Dean, who was Max's partner. He also poisons and kills John Paul McQueen (his brother)'s boyfriend, Kieron when he finds out who Niall is. When Steph tells Niall she cannot love him, Niall decides to kill the McQueens. Niall abducts the McQueen children and holds them captive.

Myra finds them and tries to negotiate with Niall, but instead, Niall reveals he has filled the church with explosives and forces Myra to pick a child to kill. When she does so, Niall detonates them. This results in the death of Tina McQueen, his sister. Niall's body isn't found, but he does survive and escapes. He later turns his attention toward Steph who had rejected him, and follows her, Craig Dean (John Paul's ex) and Tom (Max's brother) to Scotland.

Whilst there, he holds Steph captive for her rejection. However, Craig intervenes and tells him to look at how terrified she is, what he has done and what he has become. Feeling guilt and shame, Niall then takes his life by jumping off a cliffside.