Funeral of Irish Olympian Ciara Mageean, the European 1500m champion who died of cancer at 34, is to be held
Ciara Mageean, draped in an Irish tricolour after winning 1500m gold at the European Athletics Championships, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in May 2025 and died on Sunday, one week after marrying Thomas Moran.Ciara Mageean, who died on Sunday aged 34, was surrounded by her family at the time of her death, having faced her illness with what those close to her described as a fighting spirit.
Mageean, who married her long-term partner Thomas Moran just weeks before her death, will be buried at St Patrick's Church in Portaferry, Co Down, at 2pm on Tuesday. She died on Sunday aged 34 after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in May 2025, surrounded by her family. In her last interview she said: 'I thought as an athlete I'd die in my eighties — now I won't make 40.'
Mageean made history in 2024 by winning European 1500m gold in Rome, Ireland's first individual European title since the former athlete.
Stormont's Assembly chamber united in tribute, with First Minister Michelle O'Neill calling her 'a champion of champions'.
Her former school described her as 'selfless right to the end', with her photos still displayed in the corridors.
