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Mourners Told Mageean Was an 'Inspirational Human Being'

Fr Martin Kelly recalled a hospice walk with the 34-year-old Olympian as mourners honored her sporting legacy and stage 4 cancer battle.

  • On Tuesday, mourners gathered at St Patrick's Church in Portaferry, Co. Down, for the funeral of Irish Olympian Ciara Mageean, who died Sunday at age 34 following a battle with bowel cancer.
  • The former European 1,500-metre champion competed at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, winning gold in Rome in 2024 by cutting through a crowded field with tactical precision.
  • Father Martin Kelly, her former parish priest, recalled visiting Mageean at the Marie Curie Hospice three weeks ago, where she linked arms to help him walk despite her declining condition.
  • Attendees included husband Thomas Moran, Stormont First Minister Michelle O'Neill, and GAA President Jarlath Burns, gathered just weeks after Mageean's recent marriage at a lavish celebration.
  • Tributes poured in from across the country, with Fr. Kelly quoting a Facebook memorial describing Mageean as an "inspirational human being" whose "brightest lights never truly fade.
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RTÉ broke the news in Ireland on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
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