Noel joined The Irish News in 1993 and was appointed editor in April 1999. During his distinguished tenure, The Irish News amassed a raft of UK and regional awards in recognition of its consistent top-level content. Noel became editor shortly after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and as a result, the ups and downs of Stormont and devolution have been an overarching theme for him. He was the longest serving daily editor in the UK and Ireland when he stood down from the role in April 2024. He maintains a close association with the paper, including through a weekly column