WITH SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS
THIS HAS BEEN AN UNBEARABLE WEEK FOR NOAH DONOHOE’S MOTHER FIONA AND HIS FAMILY WITH HEARTBREAKING NEWS ON SATURDAY THAT HER CHARMING YOUNG SON HAD LOST HIS LIFE. LIVING IN NORTH BELFAST MEANT SEARCHING THE GARDEN, THE SHED AND THE GARAGE AND LIVING IN HOPE OF FINDING NOAH FRIGHTENED AND HIDING BUT IT WASN’T TO BE. WE SHARE FIONA’S PAIN BUT HOW CAN WE IMAGINE WHAT SHE’S GOING THROUGH TODAY AND WILL LIVE WITH THE REST OF HER LIFE? I HOPE THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE FOR NOAH FROM HIS SCHOOL MATES AND HIS FRIENDS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ONLY CAME TO KNOW HIM THROUGH NEWSPAPER AND TELEVISION REPORTS WILL BE OF SOME COMFORT IN THE TIME TO COME. ‘BELFAST GRIME MAN’ HAS POSTED A POEM AND A SONG HE HAS WRITTEN AND IT’S SPECIAL BECAUSE IT COMES FROM A BOY PROBABLY NOT MUCH OLDER THAN NOAH AND IT OBVIOUSLY COMES FROM THE HEART AND REPRESENTS THE FEELINGS OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
FOR THE REST OF US MARGARET SUMMED UP OUR FEELING IN HER MESSAGE: Noah looked such a happy, healthy and well cared for young boy. Obviously a much loved boy. Since he went missing he was the first thing I thought of in the morning and the last thing at night. How his mother must be feeling is inconceivable. Heartbreaking.
IN PRAISE OF EXCELLENCE
I am wallowing in the BBC 1 re-make of the series Talking Heads written by Alan Bennett and starring some of our most respected actors. But there’s an interesting aside – did you notice they were made within the set of EastEnders?
Imelda Staunton talks about writing letters of complaint as she sits in Dot Cotton’s front room and Sarah Lancashire sips her tea in the Queen Vic kitchen as she reveals specific trauma. Martin Freeman goes up stairs to Dot’s bedroom for his monologue. What acting, what writing by the genius that is Alan Bennett and such sympathetic direction by Nicholas Hytner. I’d be the first to criticise the offerings on television at the moment and instead I’ve turned to books and Netflix but all is forgiven with Talking Heads.
A NATURAL STAR
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This is a young man who has proved them wrong – big time. This is the student whose parents were devastated to be told he would struggle throughout his life, wouldn’t be creative and no good with empathy because he was autistic.
He was five years of age, the teacher thought the boy wouldn’t understand so this devastating conversation was carried out in front of him. He remembers it to this day but thankfully the teachers lack of understanding only spurred Dara McAnulty on to great things. There can be few authors, let alone one of 16, who has a book into its third print run, the first 5000 published were gone before Amazon could even put on an order to carry it on their web site, there followed 7000 more – all gone – and an additional 15,000 are now being gobbled up.
‘Diary of a Young Naturalist’ is just that, four seasons of gentle observation of the nature all around us but often goes unseen, Dara has the ability of looking and seeing, no stone is left unturned, no bird song unrecognised and what he hopes is that his book will introduce people to the natural wonders all around.
“I’m pleased with it,” he told me, “although I could have spent more time writing. I thought I might sell a few.” Understatement as it turned out. This book is an exquisite jewel, his language is exceptional, he paints pictures; ‘The lake is writhing in the wind’, he looks into a bucket of rainwater: ’the magic brew grew life, tadpoles squirming tear drops’ Every night he fills in his diary, his innermost thoughts and his daily experiences. In the morning he returns to yesterday and adds intricate detail. The success has taken over much of the family’s time with mother Roisin filtering invitations to festivals and events and fielding hundreds of phone calls and e-mails all the time shielding her son from the dangers of becoming public property.
Taunts and Jibes
Because of his autism Dara was dreadfully emotionally and physically bullied at school but he learned to protect himself.
‘Over the years a wall of stone and beautiful ivy has grown up around me and only family and wildlife are allowed in. Although shafts of light are starting to get through all this, I am still wary and catch myself wondering how long it will last. This doubt creeps when the wall and the ivy are in shadow. But I’m starting to realise that I probably need both the light and the shadow. They are part of me, and I can’t change that.’ He wants people to know that those who are autistic can achieve in a nurtured environment where acceptance and not tolerance is the norm. His message to those with autism is that the anxiety will get better the more challenges you give yourself: “Especially if it’s related to something you love and feel passionately about. People don’t realise how hard people who are autistic try, how much we have to keep at bay, process, faze out. The excruciating pain of trying to control our out of control brains; to do ‘difficult’ things, things which will hopefully, in the future, help others to follow hopes and dreams.”
Although still at school, Dara is in demand all over the UK to talk to environmental groups, to accept awards, his responsibilities as youth ambassador for RSPCA, more recently to read from his book on BBC Radio 4 when it was chosen as Book of the Week. However he’s uncomfortable when people tell him how ‘inspirational’ he is, that his talks are ‘amazing’ and he’s a fantastic role model to young people, he admits: “I hate it all.” His mother tells me he isn’t interested in hearing back his interviews or reading reviews, in a way he’s writing for himself and if it goes further that’s great. It’s still difficult to accept invitations for public events where, if the situation is getting out of control and coping methods are overwhelmed, he turns to his mother and her understanding. He’s very open about his autism and reading of his experiences gives an insight into the condition. “Autism makes me feel everything more intensely; I don’t have a joy filter. When you are different, when you are joyful and exuberant, when you are riding the crest fo the wave of the everyday, a lot of people just don’t like it They don’t like me. But I don’t want to tone down my excitement Why should I?”
The McAnulty family move as a unit.
Paul, a conservation scientist, is steeped in his subject however as Dara explains his Dad is the odd one out because his mother Roisin, younger brother Lorcan and little sister Bláthnaid are all autistic. “Together we make for an eccentric and chaotic bunch. We’re pretty formidable apparently. We’re as close as otters and huddled together we make our way in the world.”
The family and their greyhound Rosie, all feature in the book and the love Dara feels for them is very obvious. When I met them in Castle Archdale Forest Park this time two years ago I was welcomed into their circle and for a day I was mesmerised with what was going on around me as Dara seemed to have x-ray eyes that missed nothing even the smallest beetle or an orchid hidden in the undergrowth. More recently the family moved to live in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains which has given this young author a new theatre to explore and a school where he is happy. It’s a hectic time, a new book is in the pipeline, a children’s book written and Penguin publishers are in touch.
That teacher should eat their words, this power of nature knows no bounds.
Dara, you have a remarkable gift and a wonderful family.
‘Diary of a Young Naturalist’ is published by Little Toller Books £16
Dara’s blogs available at www.youngfermanaghnaturalist.com
Same advise folks, wash your hands often, social distance and wear a mask. Smile with your eyes. Look after your tomato plants – mine all died in the heat last Thursday!