Olympian Ciara Mageean buried in Portaferry after cancer death

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 16:06 · Archive

Olympian Ciara Mageean, who died on Sunday after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, was laid to rest in her hometown of Portaferry.

Ciara Mageean, a 34-year-old Olympian, was laid to rest in Portaferry on Sunday after her death. She had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2025 with a terminal prognosis.

Fr Martin Kelly, who visited her at the Marie Curie Hospice around three weeks before her death, recalled their conversation about acceptance and trust. He offered her the sacrament of the sick, which she accepted. When he asked what special graces she needed, she spoke of the difficulty of letting go and said she needed courage to face the final challenge of dying and accepting that she would be loved throughout.

After receiving the anointing of the sick, Mageean's spirits lifted. Fr Kelly suggested they take a walk, expecting it to be brief given her condition, but she proved remarkably energetic, insisting on multiple rounds through the streets near the hospice before returning to her room.

At her funeral, mourners heard that Mageean made the world 'a better, brighter, much nicer place'.

How it is being reported

• Olympian Ciara Mageean was a 'talented and inspirational human being'The former European champion and two-time Olympic runner had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.BBC Northern Ireland · 3 Nov, 16:20
• Olympian Ciara Mageean made world a ‘better, brighter, much nicer place’, funeral hearsThe 34-year-old athlete, who died on Sunday morning after battling cancer, is laid to rest in hometown PortaferryBelfast Telegraph · 3 Nov, 15:17
• Mourners gather for funeral of Olympian Ciara Mageean in PortaferryIn 2025 she revealed she had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, with a likely terminal prognosis.Belfast Live · 3 Nov, 13:56

In this story: Ciara Mageean · Portaferry · Fr Martin Kelly · Marie Curie Hospice

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log