John McCan arrived six weeks prematurely in July 1986 and spent the first three months of his life in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children following multiple surgeries.
Thanks to the skill and dedication of the surgeons and nursing staff, he thrived and grew into a healthy, beautiful child, adored by his family who loved him for his sunny, generous, patient nature – he was truly his father’s son.
John also grew up with a wide circle of friends, all of whom called him their best friend, and he kept these friends for as long as he lived.
An only child to John and Jean McCann, as a boy John was an avid film, book, poetry and music fan and taught himself to play guitar and double bass, also loving to entertain his friends spinning vinyl on his decks.
Thus began his career as a talented musician and, with Kevin Downey and some school friends in west Belfast, they formed their first band, Beyond Neon.
John studied sound engineering at Amps Studio in Conway Mill where he met Aly and Dave. They formed Citizen Nobody, writing and recording their own music.
While studying Liberal Arts and English at St Mary’s University College, John began working in Next, where he would spend almost 20 years and make the best of friends, who were so good to him, particularly in the past year.
John also spent the happiest of times playing bass with The Regulars, the Marty Fay Band and The Odd Numbers, all of whom he loved like family.
His greatest achievement in life was finding love, working alongside the girl of his dreams, Patricia McIlmurray. In 2018 they were married in Malcesine Castle, Lake Garda surrounded by family friends and theirs was a true love story. John was also blessed to join the wonderful McIlmurray family, all of whom adored him.
After suddenly becoming unwell on the morning of January 20 last year, John was diagnosed that day with a brain tumour.
Patricia nursed John through surgery, treatment, and all the cruel side effects that come with it, making sure he was happy and had everything he wanted – it was a privilege to see the love and devotion between them on a daily basis, even in the hardest of times.
The love of John’s friends was also demonstrated all year by their kindness, generosity and time.
In September, five of his family and friends abseiled down Belfast City Hospital Tower Block, raising almost £9,000 for the Friends of the Cancer Centre.
John never once complained about his illness. Having Patricia by his side and the love they had was enough to keep him smiling and planning for the future.
Sadly, on November 27 2024, after spending most of the last three months of his life in hospital, John passed away where his fight began, in the loving care of the ICU staff at the Royal.
Following his funeral, his bandmates put on a very special musical tribute at The Empire, where his friend Robbie read a moving poem entitled ‘A Perfect Human’.
To ensure his name lives on, Patricia has started the John McCann Foundation to support musicians and those in the literary arts who find themselves in a similar position.
John was truly a one-off husband, son and friend. A perfect human.
The McCann family
A Perfect Human, by Robbie McKee
A husband who treasured his wife every single day
A romantic who put his love first before anything on this earth.
A son who looked up to his parents and thought they were better people than him.
A man who never complained.
A local guy who was loved by all and hated by none.
An only child, brother to all.
A friend who kept his friends close to him his whole life.
A bandmate who never let you down and treated you like family.
A teacher of life without educating you.
A teacher of music without educating you.
A teacher of film without educating you.
He dressed like a school geography teacher.
A Tom Waits fan who could actually name more than three songs.
An artist who left his mark on our hearts.
A friend for life.
A perfect human.