Olympian Ciara Mageean made emotional promise to partner before dying aged 34 after cancer battle
Ciara Mageean made a heartbreaking vow to her partner before her tragic death at age 34, following her battle with bowel cancer.
The Olympian, who was Ireland’s European 1500 metres gold medallist, passed away over the weekend after being diagnosed with the illness in May 2025.
A statement on her Instagram account on Sunday (1 November) read: “At 6:30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones. A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend, and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed.”
It was followed by the Irish expression “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam”, which means, “May her soul be at the right hand of God.”
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Mageean was one of the most high-profile athletes in Ireland and represented her country at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as well as holding a slew of Irish records.
She also represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games and won silver in Birmingham in 2022.
Mageean married her partner, Thomas Moran, in October just weeks before her death, in a stunning ceremony at the Darver Castle Estate, surrounded by their loved ones, followed by a small Belfast civil ceremony.
There were shockwaves across Ireland and the sporting community when Mageean shared her diagnosis of stage 4 cancer of the bowel with a likely terminal prognosis.
Back in July, as reported by The Mirror, speaking to BBC’s GAA Social in July, she spoke about her health and bravely admitted that ‘sometimes it gets a little harder to hold on to the hope’.
However, she maintained: “Then I pick myself up, and I shake myself off and remind myself there’s always some hope, so commence a new batch of treatment, continue to look forward to the things that I’m hoping to look forward to.”
She promised: “Myself and Thomas are getting married in October. I’m not going to let this cancer get in the way of that.”
Among the outpouring of emotional tributes was one from Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, who said Mageean demonstrated ‘extraordinary talent, determination and dedication’.
She wrote: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ciara Mageean, and I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to her husband Tommy, her parents, family, friends and everyone who loved her
“Ciara’s achievements in athletics brought immense pride to her local community and to people right across Ireland. From representing Ireland at two Olympic Games to winning European Championship gold in Rome in 2024, Ciara demonstrated extraordinary talent, determination and dedication.”
She added: “However, beyond the medals, records and sporting accolades, Ciara will be remembered for her warmth, courage and tremendous strength of character.
“Throughout her illness, she showed a remarkable spirit and an incredible ability to find hope and joy in life, even in the most difficult circumstances. Her courage touched countless people and will leave a lasting legacy.
“For a community like Portaferry, this loss will be deeply felt. Ciara was one of our own, and the pride she brought to her community and beyond will never be forgotten.
“At this incredibly difficult time, I hope her family and loved ones can take some comfort from knowing just how deeply she was admired, respected, and loved by so many people.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Olympics, Bowel cancer, Cancer, News, UK News
Madison Burgess