Tributes pour in for Irish Olympian Ciara Mageean, who has died aged 34

Irish Olympian runner Ciara Mageean died on Sunday, following her bowel cancer diagnosis last year. She is in repose today at her parents' home in Portaferry, with callers welcome between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The family has requested that any donations be made to Bowel Cancer Ireland and Marie Curie Hospice, where Mageean was receiving care.

Mageean won 1500-metre gold at the European Athletics Championships in Rome in 2024, and represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

President Catherine Connolly called Mageean a “source of inspiration to so many people in their own struggles” for the way she spoke about and managed her illness. “She was much loved and will be greatly missed."

Former Irish athletics team manager Patsy McGonagle worked with her at the 2016 Olympics. "She was a dream, really," he said. "She was so grounded, so straightforward, so easy to deal with."

"You will forever be an inspiration to so many people. We are going to miss you so much", wrote Cork sprinter Phil Healy.

"I think we have to remember Ciara in the most positive of lights because she was just a beautiful person, on the track, off the track. She resonated with so many Irish people," said former track and field athlete David Gillick.

Gillick regularly interviewed Mageean after her races, and has praised her honesty and the attention she gave to younger athletes. He was in the stands with Mageean and her fiancé at Katie Taylor's Croke Park boxing match last month.

"Ciara was great to be around. She was just enthusiastic. She was funny. And even on that night, with everything that she was going through, she never dwelt on it," Gillick said.

"There are no words",  wrote Australian runner Jessica Hull. "Just the most beautiful person in every way imaginable. You will be so missed, our hearts and love are with Tommy and your family.

"Lucky to have shared some miles with you but even more special to have celebrated milestones at the finish line together, I’m so grateful for every moment, rest easy Ciara".

Ciara Mageean married her long-time partner, Thomas Moran, in Belfast on October 12.

 

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