Poignant song for Noah Donohoe penned by Derry’s Paddy Nixon

“They took my breath away, so could you lend me yours, That I might still be heard.”

These are the achingly poignant opening words of ‘My Name is Noah’ penned by talented Derry musician Paddy Nixon.

Speaking to Derry News, Paddy explained he had written the song in memory of Belfast’s Noah Donohoe (14) who tragically lost his life on June 21, 2020.

“I also wanted to raise awareness about Noah’s case,” said Paddy. “We wanted to garner as much support as possible for his mother, Fiona, in her efforts to acquire an appropriate investigation into the circumstances of that loss.

“Noah’s case is close to my heart because it struck me at the time of his death, my own sister is also on her own rearing a young fella, who, like Noah, is of mixed-race. That is why the song struck a chord with me at the very start.

“In the past, I have written Irish folk songs, which in themselves tend to remember folk heroes and tend to be military.

“So, I started researching then how many children under 16 had been lost in the Troubles and the numbers were astounding. That is what set me off writing a song for Noah.

“I have also written one for young Stephen McConomy, which I haven’t released yet.

“I was asked by people in Belfast to write the song originally. They had heard I was interested in the Noah case.

“There was a big fundraising football match held in Belfast on August 5 between Belfast Celtic and Strabane Football Club, because Noah’s mammy, Fiona, is originally from Strabane.

Derry musician Paddy Nixon

“So, I was asked to write a song that would be launched at the match as part of the fundraising too.”

All money raised from downloads of ‘My Name is Noah’ is going to the Noah Donohoe Foundation to go towards the Donal McIntyre investigation. 

“‘My Name is Noah’ left me quite teary and sad,” Paddy admitted. “When I was recording parts of it, I had to stop.

“I felt such empathy because of my sister’s situation and because the child was only a wee boy of 14. What if it was your son or your daughter? I was looking at my own grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

“It was a hard song to write and a hard one to record because of that. 

“Feedback about the song has been very good, thankfully.

“One particular lady left a message in Bandcamp when she had downloaded it saying she was at the football match when she first heard the song and herself and the ladies beside her were crying. They could barely see the start of the match because of the story.

“I write songs like factual stories and try not to put my own opinion or thoughts into them,” said Paddy.

‘My Name is Noah’ can be downloaded for  £1.00 donation at: paddynixon.bandcamp.com/track/my-name-is-noah, where donations can also be made.

“People can hear the full song for free without donating and decide afterwards if they would like to support the song / case.”

The credits on ‘My Name is Noah’ go to: Eamonn Karran (piano); Ciaran Carlin (whistle); Monica Nixon (harmony); and Paddy Nixon (guitar, bass and mandolin).