Northern Ireland

Noah Donohoe 'gave me a lifetime of love' says mum

The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann
The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann

Noah Donohoe's mother has said he "poured a whole lifetime of love into my life in 14 short years".

The tribute from Fiona Donohoe was relayed by a priest during his funeral yesterday at St Patrick's Church in Belfast.

Crowds lined Donegall Street outside the church and gathered at his school, St Malachy's College, to pay their respects.

Noah's body was found in a storm drain on Saturday, six days after he went missing near Shore Road in the north of the city.

Read more: Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe 'touched the hearts of everyone'Opens in new window ]

His disappearance prompted an intensive search operation by police and community rescue teams.

Hundreds of volunteers also came forward to help find the teenager in a huge cross-community response.

Fr Michael McGinnity told mourners that since Noah's death, "a tangible sense of shock and disbelief has gripped the community".

"Growing up in Belfast, Noah met life with a sense of wonder at everything around him and in him," he said in his homily.

"He had a natural curiosity about life. Every day he wanted to know more about the world and his place in it. Noah was the kind of boy who was just full of the joy of living.

"Whether he was on the basketball court or playing his cello or just having fun with friends, he savoured every moment.

"He was passionate about everything he turned his hand to. And he wanted everyone to share that passion with him."

Noah Donohoe
Noah Donohoe Noah Donohoe

Fr McGinnity recalled a tribute to Noah from his mother Fiona, who is originally from Strabane in Co Tyrone.

"So much has been written and said about Noah that has touched the hearts of everyone in this city," he said.

"But what has stayed with me are the words of Fiona when she spoke to me last Sunday night.

"She said, 'I have been so blessed. Noah was a beautiful soul with a beautiful mind. He poured a whole lifetime of love into my life in 14 short years.'

"What a wonderful tribute from a mother to her son who is such a godsend to her."

Placing floral tributes on the gates of St Malachy's College after the funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann
Placing floral tributes on the gates of St Malachy's College after the funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann Placing floral tributes on the gates of St Malachy's College after the funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann

Well-wishers lined Donegall Street outside the church while the service took place inside in private with a small number of mourners due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

During the Requiem Mass, pupils from Noah's Year 10 form class attended a prayer service in St Malachy's College.

The cortege later travelled to his school on Antrim Road, where the community rescue teams who found his body formed a guard of honour along the road.

Crowds who packed onto the footpaths broke into spontaneous applause as the hearse containing Noah's white coffin topped with white flowers passed by.

Pupils formed a guard of honour inside the grounds of the school, where many tributes have been placed in memory of Noah.

Flowers and other tokens of remembrance, including a rugby ball and a basketball, have been left at the school gates.

Noah's family had invited people to gather outside his school as the cortege was due to pass by following the service.

There was also a round of applause for the search teams who spent days staging a major search for Noah last week.

The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann
The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann The funeral of teenager Noah Donohoe. Picture by Mal McCann

Noah left his home in the Ormeau Road area of south Belfast on Sunday June 21 and was last seen after 6pm on Northwood Road off Shore Road.

It is believed that during the journey he had fallen off his bicycle and sustained a head injury, leaving him disoriented.

Police said they do not believe there was any foul play in his death.

The tragedy has been described by a senior PSNI officer as one of the most unusual missing-person cases in his 30-year career.

Read more:Noah Donohoe returned to the school he loved so much one final time