Funeral details announced for Irish athletics star Ciara Mageean

The funeral details for Irish Olympian and European gold medallist Ciara Mageean, who died on Sunday at the age of 34, have been confirmed. Mageean is pictured here celebrating with supporters and her gold medal after winning the Women's 1500m final during day four of the 2024 European Athletics Championships at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The funeral details for Irish Olympian and European gold medallist Ciara Mageean, who died on Sunday at the age of 34, have been confirmed. 

Mageean died peacefully at Marie Curie Hospice, surrounded by her loved ones following a diagnosis of bowel cancer last year. 

She will be reposing in her parents' home in Portaferry, Co Down, today, Monday 2 November, with callers welcome between 10am and 1pm and 3pm and 9pm, with the house strictly private on the day of the funeral. 

The athlete's funeral will take place at St Patrick's Church, Ballyphillip on Tuesday November, 3 at 2pm followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Following her death, Mageean has been remembered as an inspiration to many.

Tributes have poured in over the past two days, with messages from fellow athletes and colleagues throughout the sporting world. 

Leading the tributes in Ireland, President Catherine Connolly said Mageean was a "wonderful athlete, a runner who distinguished herself from her junior years right up to the outstanding achievement of becoming a European champion two years ago".

Earlier this year, Mageean celebrated her wedding to Thomas Moran at Darver Castle in Co Louth, marrying her former training partner in an intimate civil ceremony at Belfast City Hall. 

Thomas proposed in 2024, and they quickly started organising their special day but her world was rocked when she confirmed in May 2025 that she had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.

Speaking on the BBC's GAA Social podcast in July, Mageean said: "Myself and Thomas are getting married in October. I'm not going to let this cancer get in the way of that."

Sporting career 

Her first taste of international success came 16 years ago in the World Junior Championships when she claimed a 1500m silver medal.

After overcoming ankle injuries, she claimed a 1500m bronze at the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam, but her Olympic debut ended in disappointment as she exited the 1500m competition at the semi-final stage.

Mageean claimed a European Indoor bronze medal in March 2019 before clocking 2:31.06 to take 3.6 seconds off Sonia O'Sullivan's 27-year-old Irish 1,000m record at the 2020 Diamond League Monaco meet.

Mageean endured more Olympic heartache at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, where a calf injury disrupted her preparations as she exited from the heats.

In 2023, Mageean narrowly missed out on a World Championship medal as she finished fourth in a high-class final in Budapest.

In a gripping final, she found herself boxed behind Great Britain duo Georgia Bell and Jemma Reekie, but managed to dart through a gap and power down the straight to victory in 4:04.66.

An ecstatic Mageean - who won admirers for her honest and emotional post-race interviews down the years - said "words can't even come close" to describing how she felt after sealing the first major title of her career.

An avowed camogie enthusiast, Mageean's passing has left the Camogie Association "broken hearted", it said Sunday in a statement.

Uachtarán Brian Molloy said: “In her all too short life, Ciara touched the hearts of so many. 

“She was a great friend of Camogie, both as a player and a supporter. She referenced that in arguably her finest moment on the track, after she won gold at the 2024 European Championships.

"Her self belief and commitment to her craft will always be inspirational, and she will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her."

Speaking in June about her illness, Mageean told the BBC: "There are certainly moments where it's a lot harder for it (happiness) to shine through.

"Throughout this journey, there's been things that have been so crushing, and the news is so tough to be told that you might have two to three years left to live.

"It's something that's absolutely catastrophic in your life, and I hold on to the hope that I can be part of that 10% to 15% that survives beyond five years.

"Obviously, I've been given a diagnosis that's very tough but there are people that go out today, and they won't come back in their door. That's hope and joy for me, that I can survive this and I can live into my old age.

"I think we all need that no matter what, we need to keep hope because if not, then it's won already."