VIDEO Noah Donohoe: Funeral held for ‘a beautiful soul with a beautiful mind’ who ‘poured a whole life time of love’ into ‘14 short years’

Speaking today at Noah Donohoe’s Requiem Mass, Fr Michael McGinnity, told of how Belfast united in grief during the search for the schoolboy.

He said: “Today across Belfast and far beyond it, there are countless people holding you Fiona and your family in their thoughts and prayers.

“Since the news of Noah’s tragic death emerged, a tangible sense of shock and disbelief has gripped the community.

“So many people are consumed by a sadness that cannot be put into words.”

The cleric added that “People everywhere are united in their heart - felt sympathy towards you Fiona, your parents Gerry and Margo, towards your sisters Niamh and Shona and the wider family circle”.

“None of us can begin to imagine the depth of your sorrow and the visceral depth of your grief.

“At the same time, we gather here in St. Patrick’s church, very conscious of your gratitude to so many people who have reached out to you as a family in your hour of need”.

In his homily, Fr McGinnity spoke of Noah’s “sense of wonder at everything around him and in him” and his “ natural curiosity about life”.

“Noah was the kind of boy who was just full of the joy of living, “ he said.

“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.

“One of his close friends said on social media during the week, ‘Noah had so much potential in everything he did.’

“Of course what endeared him to his friends was the fact that he carried that potential so lightly and so humbly .

“As a natural leader he wanted everyone to appreciate their own gifts and talents.

“More than that, he wanted them to find the joy in living that he had found”.

Fr McGinnity added: “So much has been written and said about Noah that has touched the hearts of everyone in this city.

“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 life time 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. It reminds me of those words from St. Paul in our second reading,

“‘The life and death of each of us has its influence on others.’ How true those words are!”

The cleric added: “Noah’s influence of course extended far beyond his family.

“He was clearly an inspiration to many of the young people who got to know him.

“The pain of loss they feel today is all the greater because of it.

“I want to speak to Noah’s friends and class mates for a moment.

“In the months and years ahead I invite you to listen to what Noah’s life might have to say to you – because you too have been sent by God into this broken world.

“Just as Noah was a Godsend to his mum, you are called to be a Godsend to your families and to each other”.

He said that some weeks ago Noah gave a poem to his mum; a poem written by Leo Buscaglia.

“The words of it certainly resonated in the depth of Noah’s beautiful soul,” he added.

“In one part it says,

‘To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair

To try is to risk failure. ..... the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.’”

Father McGinnity added: “Like all of us, Noah’s friends will struggle with the same questions we all do– questions such as: Why did God let this happen to Noah?

“Is God not a loving God? Were the prayers we all said for Noah’s safe return not good enough?

_________

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor