Irish athletics champion Ciara Mageean dies aged 34 after cancer battle

Irish middle‑distance runner and European champion Ciara Mageean has died, her family said in an Instagram post on Sunday morning.

The statement confirmed she passed away at 6:30 am, surrounded by loved ones. Mageean, 34, was celebrated for winning her first European gold medal in 2024 before being diagnosed with bowel cancer a few months later.

Since her diagnosis she spoke openly about her illness, and her recent wedding to Thomas Moran at Darver Castle in Dundalk was shared on social media over the last bank holiday weekend.

The sporting community has responded with an outpouring of grief. Fellow athletes, including Olympic boxing champion Kelly Harrington and Cork runner Phil Heaney, posted tributes describing her as an inspiration and expressing condolences to her husband and family.

Mageean is survived by her husband, family and friends, and will be remembered as one of Ireland’s most accomplished athletes.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Bohdan Hyrovych / Pexels.