The inquest into the death of 14-year-old Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe has heard powerful testimony from his closest friends, who told the court they had “no concerns” about his mental health in the days and weeks leading up to his disappearance on June 25, 2020. Appearing live at Laganside Courthouse in January 2026, Charlie Rocks and Jay Tierney described Noah as exceptionally bright, sociable, funny and full of life—contrasting sharply with earlier evidence from his mother Fiona Donohoe that she found him crying alone in his bedroom that afternoon.

Charlie Rocks, Noah’s best friend, spoke emotionally about their bond. He called Noah “the nicest, friendliest person, funniest person” and “the smartest kid, always asking questions.” Rocks said Noah knew everyone at St Malachy’s College and was genuinely excited about life returning to normal after lockdown. He described Noah as someone who made people laugh effortlessly and who was deeply curious about the world. Rocks admitted Noah had become “more eccentric” during adolescence and the Covid restrictions, but stressed there were no red flags suggesting serious mental health struggles. Noah once mentioned feeling “blue,” yet he had started opening up more about his emotions—an openness Rocks saw as healthy and positive. The two friends talked openly about girls, shared book recommendations (Noah suggested Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, which Rocks politely declined), and maintained a trusting, close relationship. Rocks was unaware Noah sometimes stayed overnight alone at the Belfast apartment and confirmed from their conversations that Noah identified as straight.

Jay Tierney echoed similar sentiments, describing Noah as outgoing, kind and someone who lit up any room. Both friends emphasised that Noah never expressed fascination with storm drains, tunnels, underground spaces or anything that might explain how he ended up in a drainage system six days after disappearing. Rocks insisted that if Noah had been interested in such things, he would have talked about it openly during their frequent lockdown chats and group messages. The social media exchanges between the three boys showed typical teenage banter—no dark undertones, no hints of distress or unusual preoccupations.

The testimony stands in contrast to Fiona Donohoe’s earlier account. She told the inquest she found Noah crying in his room that afternoon and later made a frantic 999 call when he failed to return home. In the recorded emergency call, Fiona’s voice trembled as she gave Noah’s description, his intended route to meet friends in Cavehill, and her growing fear that something terrible had happened. She repeatedly described him as a “good boy” who always kept in touch and never stayed out late without warning. The raw panic captured in the call underscored the suddenness of the tragedy for the family.

CCTV footage presented to the jury traces Noah’s final movements: cycling through Belfast city centre and heading north. Motorist Donna Blain reported seeing him fall from his bike on North Queen Street; he appeared embarrassed, looked around, lifted the bike, left his coat on the ground and continued riding. The last confirmed sighting—the most disturbing—shows Noah pedalling completely naked, an act his mother, friends and other witnesses unanimously described as completely out of character. No explanation has emerged for why he removed all his clothing or what happened in the critical gap that followed.

Noah’s body was discovered six days later inside a storm drain in the Duncairn Gardens area of north Belfast. The grim recovery intensified public anger over perceived investigative shortcomings, delays in releasing CCTV and other evidence, and questions about police procedure. Fiona Donohoe has campaigned relentlessly for transparency, founding The Noah Donohoe Foundation to advocate for improved mental health support for young people and stronger child safety measures.

The inquest continues to explore possible contributing factors. While Fiona expressed concern about Noah’s emotional state that day, his friends’ testimony suggests no obvious signs of severe distress or intent to self-harm. No evidence of substance use has surfaced, yet the “out-of-character” behaviour—leaving his coat, cycling naked—remains unexplained. The coroner has appealed for any additional information about Noah’s movements, belongings or possible earlier outings that day.

The broader context of 2020 lockdown life has also been highlighted. Noah and his friends spent much of their time indoors, communicating online and planning for the future with excitement. The isolation, combined with typical adolescent pressures, may have affected him more deeply than he let on. Rocks and Tierney both insisted Noah never showed interest in storm drains, tunnels or underground exploration; if he had, he would have shared it openly.

The nine-man, two-woman jury faces the difficult task of determining how Noah came by his death—whether by misadventure, accident or other means—while weighing fragmented CCTV, the storm drain’s accessibility, witness accounts and investigative timelines. Proceedings are expected to continue into March 2026, with further expert testimony on the drainage system and additional witnesses still to appear.

For Fiona Donohoe and the many supporters who have followed the case for years, the inquest represents a painful but necessary pursuit of truth. Noah is remembered by his friends as intelligent, kind, endlessly curious and full of laughter—a boy whose sudden, unexplained actions in his final hours continue to haunt everyone who knew him. The contrast between his friends’ insistence that he was happy and his mother’s memory of him crying alone in his room stands as one of the most poignant and troubling elements of the case. As live testimony unfolds, the hope remains that clarity—however painful—will finally emerge for those who loved Noah most.