Tommy Bowe says interviewing Noah Donohoe’s heartbroken mum was ‘toughest thing he’s done’
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Fiona Donohoe is living every parent’s worst nightmare. Her son Noah left home last June to see his friends but little did she know that it would be the last time she would ever see him.
The 14-year-old had planned to meet up with his two best friends at the beauty spot of Cavehill in North Belfast but he never made it. Six days later his body was found stripped in a storm drain in a part of the city that he had never visited.
Chatting to host Tommy Bowe, on Ireland AM the single mother opened up about her anguish and ongoing feelings of loss over the son she did everything with.
Former Irish rugby ace Tommy, only took on his presenting role on Ireland AM in August 2020, and therefore is new to how difficult it can be to ask someone who has suffered like Fiona to share their experience.
He was so moved by Fiona’s pain that he described the interview as ‘one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do’ to his followers afterwards.
Speaking to Bowe who is himself a father of two, Fiona said: ‘I would be completely lost because we would do everything together, you know he could fit 25 hours in the day, he was just one of those children but the amount of time we had together when he wasn’t doing sports or his music. Oh I just miss him so much, his hugs and his love.’
Fiona is able to draw some comfort in knowing that she reminded Noah that she loved him every day and that that was their final interaction and urged other parents to do the same.
‘I know every parent does this but you should do it a wee bit more. I’m blessed we hugged all the time, we said we loved each other all the time, that feeds you know me keeping to going but I was able to give him a hug as usual and tell him I loved him and I’m so grateful for that because I never knew I wasn’t going to see him again and to have that as our final thing, it gives me so much comfort,’ she said.
Fiona was also moved at the lengths staff and pupils at Noah’s school, St Malachy’s went to ‘bring him back to school.’
‘The most touching and moving thing because saint Malachy’s allowed us to take Noah back to school because he never would return and the amount of people outside the gates of the school and them all clapping when we took Noah back to the school,’ she recalls. Speaking at the time, Principal, Paul McBride described Noah as ‘a natural leader who led by example.
‘His caring nature, calm demeanour and big smile were some of his greatest gifts that helped others to do their best.’
Tommy who is father to a son Jamie and a daughter Emma with his wife Lucy urged people to watch the poignant interview.
‘We chatted about what a beautiful boy Noah was, the relationship between a single mum and her only son and the heartbreaking mysteries around his death.’