Funeral details released for Ciara Mageean as schools and GAC club pay tribute
The funeral will take place tomorrow of Olympian Ciara Mageean who ‘demonstrated inspirational courage and resilience’ before passing away from cancer, aged just 34.
Mageean competed at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She made history in 2024 by winning European 1500m gold in Rome, only the second athlete after Sonia O’Sullivan to secure an individual European title for Ireland.
She was diagnosed with cancer in 2025 and despite a long battle, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Sunday.
Ciara married her partner Thomas Moran in October, just weeks before her death. She is also survived by her parents Christopher and Catherine, sisters Maire and Nuala and brother Brendan.
Her funeral mass will take place at 2pm in St Patrick’s Church, Portaferry tomorrow.
World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe said her loss will be felt “across the athletics community”.
He said it was "with great sadness" that he learned of her death "at such a young age".
"A European champion and inspiration to many, it is a sad day for our sport – her loss will be felt across the athletics community,” he said. “On behalf of everyone at World Athletics and the wider athletics family, I send our sincere condolences to Ciara’s family and loved ones.”
Portaferry GAC, said they were "devastated" by the news.
They had followed her achievements from her early days playing camogie in the blue and gold of Portaferry "to shining her light on the athletics track proudly representing Ireland on the biggest sporting stages of the world".
The club added: "She brought so much joy and excitement to everyone across Ireland but more so to everyone in our small little town with all her success."
In recent times she also showed them a very different type of strength.
"Throughout her illness, she demonstrated immense courage and resilience, inspiring each and every one of us.
"She showed all of us here in Portaferry that you can dream big, achieve extraordinary things whilst never forgetting where you came from."
Saint Mary's Primary School in Portaferry said she was a frequent and "very welcome" visitor.
"One visit in particular will never be forgotten,” it said. “Ciara was due to join us for a school assembly, but instead ended up spending the entire day with us, visiting every classroom, chatting with the children and giving her time so generously to every pupil she met. That was simply Ciara."
Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch also paid tribute to their "cherished" past pupil.
"Ciara’s kindness, strength, faith and unwavering determination were an inspiration to us all," they said. "She touched countless lives with her warmth, humility and generosity of spirit and her legacy will remain in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her."
Speaking to the BBC in July, Mageean revealed her tumours had “increased in activity”.
She admitted “sometimes it gets a little harder to hold on to the hope”, but added: “Then I pick myself up and I shake myself off and remind myself there’s always some hope, so commence a new batch of treatment, continue to look forward to the things that I’m hoping to look forward to.
“Myself and Thomas are getting married in October. I’m not going to let this cancer get in the way of that.”