Ciara Mageean, Ireland’s 2024 European 1,500m champion, has died at the age of 34 after living with cancer. She died on Sunday, November 1, at 6:30 a.m., surrounded by loved ones, according to a family statement shared by World Athletics.
Mageean announced her cancer diagnosis publicly in July 2025. She later spoke about having stage four bowel cancer. Her death was also acknowledged by Athletics Ireland, which shared details of arrangements for her funeral.
She won the 1,500m gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Rome in 2024. Mageean had previously taken silver in 2022 and bronze in 2016, and represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
Funeral arrangements announced
A wake at her parents’ home in Portaferry is scheduled for Monday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Her funeral is set for Tuesday, November 3, at 2 p.m. at St Patrick’s Church in Ballyphilip, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery, Athletics Ireland said.
The family said the home will be closed to visitors on the day of the funeral. It requested family flowers only, with donations, if desired, to Bowel Cancer Ireland or Marie Curie.
Nicole French