Professor Noel Sheehy, a psychologist at Liverpool John Moores University was a highly respected member of the UK psychology community.
Professor Sheehy, who grew up in Ireland and lived in Oxton, Merseyside was President-Elect of the British Psychological Society and the lead academic at the University's School of Natural Sciences and Psychology.
Noel Sheehy leaves behind his wife Alex, his son Daniel and daughters Francesca and Brittany.
"Youth Music was definitely the right choice for Noel because, even though he couldn't play a single instrument, he was fascinated by those who could. Noel would love to watch as I practiced my piano, and would always question my knowledge of the subject, he even sat for hours whilst my sister, Brittany, and I taught him nursery songs like "Happy Birthday" or "Bah bah black sheep" on the piano.
Noel always encouraged me to follow my passion in music, which must have changed on a weekly basis, piano, singing or guitar; what ever it was, he would fully support my decision in what I wanted to do and how I wanted to live my life through music.
He had such a random, weird and brilliant taste in music. He spend countless evening in the office playing Sea Sick Steve, Rory Gallagher or someone only Noel would of heard of. Thinking back I really wish I had spent so much more time trying to understand his taste in music because I'm sure that, somehow, in Noel's topsy-turvey music sense, the differences in genres of music were a stroke of genius, which was exactly what he was.
Noel was a genius and I wish I had more years just being his daughter, because he was the best anyone could ask for. I'm sure I would probably be so much smarter because he supported me in everything I did, musical and non-musical, he always said that I could learn from him as long as he could learn from me. I will always miss him, and he will always be in my heart."
Francesca, daughter
"Music has always been the unifying force between my Dad and I, whether it was through a shared love of rock and blues when I was a teenager, to me sending him CDs of increasingly 'challenging' music, from electronica to hip-hop, to indie and post-punk.
As much as we wound each other up about some fairly appalling personal musical choices, we understood the magical effect great music can have, lifting spirits and inspiring the mind. My Dad understood the transformative effect music can have on people's lives, especially those given the opportunity to make music for themselves.
He gave me the gift of a drumkit on my 16th birthday, and it was a gift that changed my life, from being an unconfident, creatively limited teenager, into someone who desperately wanted to make music with people, and play that music for as large an audience as possible. I was never prouder than when I was able to hand my Dad my band's first CD, and have him listen to what we'd created.
This transformative effect is what Youth Music can bring to people's lives, and I can think of no better living tribute to what my Dad believed in and appreciated, than to see other young people given the opportunity to learn, create and share music."
Daniel, son