11/01/2026
Today, Ireland mourns the loss of one of its finest athletes.
Ciara Mageean, the middle-distance runner from Portaferry, County Down, has passed away at just 34 years old, following a battle with cancer.
Ciara represented Ireland at two Olympic Games, in Rio and Tokyo, and made history in 2024 when she won gold in the 1500m at the European Athletics Championships in Rome, becoming the first Irish individual European champion since Sonia O’Sullivan.
It was a remarkable achievement, and the culmination of years of dedication, determination, and hard work.
From her early days playing camogie in Portaferry to representing Ireland on the world stage, she carried the hopes of an entire nation with her. She showed young athletes, particularly young women, what was possible through talent, perseverance, and an extraordinary commitment to her sport.
In 2025, Ciara was diagnosed with cancer. In October of this year, she married her longtime partner, Thomas Moran, just weeks before her passing.
We wish we weren't so well acquainted with the devastation cancer can bring to families. It's a cruel disease, and one that has taken far too many people far too soon.
Our deepest sympathies are with Thomas, Ciara's family, her friends, her teammates, and everyone in Portaferry and across Ireland who is grieving her loss.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.