Ciarán Ó Lionáird remembered as 'dreamer' with 'uncommon intensity and care'

Mourners at his funeral service in Inchigeela heard Ciarán Ó Lionáird was a driven, world class athlete but also a creative soul who never forgot his roots.

Ciarán Ó Lionáird died in Canada earlier this month. He had planned to run his first marathon in July. Pic: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Ciarán Ó Lionáird lived his life with "uncommon intensity and care", mourners were told at his funeral in Inchigeela on Wednesday. The Cork Olympian died suddenly in Vancouver, Canada, earlier this month, aged 38.

He was remembered as a driven, world class athlete but also a creative soul who never forgot his roots. Ó Lionáird had planned to run his first marathon in July with his friend Nils Arend. 

"He sought meaning in people, places and experiences, and shared what he found through his writing, music and creativity," a tribute read at the service on behalf of Nils said.

"He was endlessly curious, deeply compassionate and never content to stand on the sidelines of life. He expressed himself with authenticity in all things, including a distinctive personal style that reflected his creativity and individuality.

"Those fortunate enough to know him will remember his generosity, his laughter, his ability to bring people together, and the unmistakable energy he carried into every room, every conversation and every mile."

Leevale AC's Tony Shine said that though European bronze medallist spent much of the last 20 years abroad, he never forgot where he came from. Shine recalled Ó Lionáird visiting a Leevale training session to impart his experience to young athletes.

"I can still remember how humble he was as he spoke to a group of kids, telling them how his life as an athlete began with West Muskerry AC and how, as a kid, he used to imagine one day racing the world’s best," said Shine.

"'You have to dream,' he said. He stayed for an age that evening, answering every single question the kids had. He was so generous with his time, talking to each of these youngsters as his equal, aware that he was once in that same position, encouraging them to go after their dreams no matter how big they seemed.

"As an athlete, that was one of Ciarán’s defining characteristics. He was a dreamer and he did everything he could to make his dreams real. At Leevale, we could see that in him from the moment he arrived."

Ciarán Ó Lionáird celebrates winning 3000m bronze at the 2013 European Indoor Championships. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Ó Lionáird reached the 2011 1500m final at the World Championships, competed at the 2012 Olympics, and won that 3000m bronze medal at the 2013 European indoors. He initially retired from competitive athletics in 2016, and attempted a comeback in 2020 but his goals were hurt by the covid pandemic. 

"In the years after, with his competitive ambitions put to the side, Ciarán no longer had any need to run," said Shine.

"But he still wanted to, learning and understanding what that simple activity brought to his life. As he said: 'I am a runner at my core.' Ciarán poured so much into the sport, suffering countless injuries and going through so many physio appointments and rehab programmes to build his body back up again. As an athlete, the thing that made him successful was sometimes the thing that caused him to break down: the intensity he brought to everything he did.

"He always had to give 100%. He always had to push the boundaries, trying to discover his true potential. He loved the quote by TS Eliot: 'Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.' In his running career, he did find out exactly how far he could go. 

"Those of us who knew him as a youngster took immense pride in seeing where he got to. Witnessing one of our own, a young lad who grew up out the road in Toons Bridge, taking on the world’s best had a powerful effect on so many in this area and beyond.

"Running was the central pillar in Ciarán’s life, and while it might have broken his heart at times, he always found himself coming back to it. He was still running in his final days and weeks, and he hoped to run his first marathon this summer. That love for the sport that he first developed as a kid was always there, right up to the end."

In Not Yet Dead, a documentary which Ciarán produced about his attempted 2020 comeback, he reflected on "how death is perceived, and the idea that one is not really dead unless they are forgotten.”

His brother Cathal concluded his eulogy by saying, "I think we can all agree Ciarán will never be forgotten."