Olympian Ciara Mageean remembered as ‘inspirational human being’ at funeral mass

The 34-year-old was laid to rest in County Down today.

Hundreds of mourners packed into the church for the mass, with attendees including well known sport stars, GAA President Jarlath Burns, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, and President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin's aides-de-camp.

Members of her local Portaferry GAA club, where her sporting days began as a camogie player, organised a guard of honour.

The 34-year-old passed away on Sunday, November 1, following a year and a half long battle with bowel cancer.

Her death came just one week after she married her long-term partner Thomas (Tommy), who Father Martin Kelly described at today's requiem mass as "the love of her life".

Fr Kelly highlighted how proud the people of the village were of the athlete and shared many of the tributes paid to the athlete on social media, saying: "On Facebook there must be thousands of tributes to Ciara, Maureen my good friend, read out a good many to me, many beautiful pieces. One in particular stood out; written by Jimmy Magee, I’ll read it for you."

The tribute read: "Sometimes, amid the darkness and gloom of our world, a bright light emerges - one that radiates warmth, kindness and positive energy, making our world a better brighter and much nicer place to call home. Ciara Mageean was one such light," he read.

"A truly remarkable, immensely talented and inspirational human being whose courage, humility, infectious smile and indomitable spirit touched hearts far beyond the world of athletics.

"While I never had the privilege of knowing Ciara personally, like so many others, I admired her enormously. She represented the very best of us, not simply through her extraordinary sporting achievements but through the warmth, dignity and humanity she brought to everything she did.

"My thoughts and prayers are with her beloved husband Thomas, her family, friends and the wonderful people of Portaferry who helped shape such an extraordinary young woman. The brightest lights never truly fade. Their warmth lives on in the hearts of those they touched."

Tributes flooded in for the former European Champion, with Irish athletics team manager Patsy McGonagle remembering her as "a dream".

President Catherine Connolly also paid tribute to Mageean, calling her a "source of inspiration to so many people in their own struggles”.

Australian athlete Jessica Hull, described Mageean as “the most beautiful person in every way imaginable”.

"Heartbreaking. Sending my love and prayers to her family and friends. She was such a beautiful person," wrote Katie Taylor.

The County Down native won gold at the 2024 European Athletics Championships, becoming the first Irish European champion since Sonia O'Sullivan.

She holds four European Athletics Championship medals, as well as a silver medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Mageean won three silver medals at World and European level in the U-18 and U-20 age groups and proudly represented Ireland at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

She holds four Irish records and multiple national titles.