Fiona Donohoe: How Noah’s mother turned grief into determined battle for answers

Noah Donohoe’s mother Fiona has led a high-profile campaign for answers over his death (PA)

Since her 14-year-old son Noah was found dead in unexplained circumstances, Fiona Donohoe has led a high-profile campaign for answers which has attracted attention across the world.

The health worker, originally from Strabane, took a proactive role from when Noah first went missing in June 2020, making a heartfelt appeal for help and urging homeowners to allow their properties to be looked at to be ruled out in the hunt for her only child.

Ms Donohoe was first seen on camera during the initial police press conference, flanked by her sisters Shona and Niamh, at Musgrave Police Station in Belfast city centre on Wednesday June 24, 2020.

Fiona Donohoe, centre, and her sisters joined the first police press conference held after Noah went missing in June 2020 (PA)

She was tearful, often with her head bowed, as then PSNI chief superintendent Muir Clark made a public appeal amid the ongoing search for Noah.

At the height of the coronavirus lockdown as the population was being told to stay at home, the search for Noah became a focus in the media and online.

When the 14-year-old’s body was found in an underground water tunnel in north Belfast on Saturday June 27, it became personal for many who had invested hope beyond hope that he would be located alive.

Crowds turned out in solidarity with Ms Donohoe on the day of Noah’s funeral.

Noah was Fiona Donohoe’s only child (family handout/PA)

Amid the shock and disbelief at the outcome, the heartbroken mother paid a poignant tribute to her son as a “beautiful soul with a beautiful mind” who “poured a whole lifetime of love into my life in 14 short years”.

Ms Donohoe went on that summer to turn her grief into determination to secure answers around Noah’s death.

She secured political support, including that of then deputy first minister, now First Minister, Michelle O’Neill.

She also launched dedicated My Noah social media accounts to share memories and appeal for answers around his death, which started to build numbers of supporters who became known as Noah’s Army.

Fiona Donohoe (left), the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, arriving at Belfast Coroner's Court, where the inquest into the death of her son, who was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he went missing while cycling to meet friends, is taking place. Picture: Mark Marlow/PA Wire

As preparations for Noah’s inquest progressed, Ms Donohoe watched proceedings like a hawk, immediately expressing concern when police sought redactions in sensitive files, which led to rallies attended by thousands wearing the distinctive Noah’s Army blue and white jerseys.

She personally brought a petition calling for full transparency, which was signed by almost 300,000 people, to police headquarters and handed it to then Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton.

As the first day of the inquest finally dawned in January 2026, Ms Donohoe took a seat towards the back of court 12, quietly watching every development, from extended evidence around culverts to scores of police witnesses being questioned on the search operation and the investigation into Noah’s death.

She left only briefly when her first call to report Noah missing was played to the court.