Breaking: Irish sport plunged into grief by the passing of much loved athlete Ciara Mageean
CROWD PLEASER: Olympian Ciara Mageean introduced to the crowd at half time in the All-Ireland SHC final at Croke Park last July. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
THE world of Irish sport, and well beyond, has been plunged into mourning with the confirmation early Sunday that beloved Olympic athlete Ciara Mageean has passed away. She was 34.
A statement posted on her social media platforms read: "At 6.30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle wit cancer surrounded by her loved ones. A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed."
Mageean represented Ireland at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, but was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Paris Games because of an Achilles injury.
Earlier in 2024, Mageean clinched the first major title of her career when she took 1500m gold at the European Championships in Rome.
Her Instagram account was flooded with messages from friends and colleagues from the athletics world.
Wrote fellow Olympian Sharlene Mawdsley:"Rest in peace Ciara, sending love to your family and friends."
Cork's Phil Healy added: "You will forever be an inspiration to so many people. We are going to miss you so much." Tomm Barr said: "This is such devastating news. You were the purest human and brightest soul among us
Only earlier this month Portaferry woman Ciara Mageean celebrated her wedding to Thomas Moran at Darver Castle in Co Louth, despite her advanced illness. She married her former training partner in an intimate civil ceremony at Belfast City Hall.
"I hope you didn't think we were skipping the party," the athlete shared on social media. "An incredible day yesterday in beautiful Darver Castle surrounded by the most amazing people."
Thomas proposed to Ciara 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.
"I chatted to the team about that and was like, 'What's the craic if I'm on chemo and I'm wanting to have a wedding?'". Like, could we pause maybe a little bit of treatment somewhere in October so my immunity comes up and I can have a right old shindig to celebrate me and Tommy. We're together a good few years. I could laugh whenever I was going around visiting places, and they were like, 'When are you thinking for your wedding?' and we were like, 'September, October'.
"And they were like, 'Okay, 2027?' I'm like, 'No, no, no, this year!' Like a shotgun wedding, get this in the next few months! But obviously, I'm under pressure with the diagnosis that I've had."
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, Mageean 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.
She continued to discuss her illness with stark and admirable honesty and in June, she 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."
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