Ciara Mageean funeral takes place - Barry Whyte Reports

Barry Whyte (0:00)

The Hard Shoulder, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman.

Father Martin Kelly (0:04)

On Newstalk, with Ciara.

Ciara Kelly (0:09)

Now, very tragically, the funeral of 34-year-old Irish Olympian and European Athletics Champion, Ciara Mageean, has taken place in County Down, and our chief reporter, Barry Whyte, is in her hometown of Port-au-Ferri, and he joins us now. Barry, I am sure a hugely difficult day for those attending Ciara's funeral this afternoon.

Barry Whyte (0:31)

Yeah, good afternoon. It's been an incredibly sad afternoon here in Port-au-Ferri. There's been so much affection for Ciara Mageean in the Tribute since her death on Sunday morning at just 34 years of age, and you could see that today in the sheer number of people who came to say goodbye.

More than a thousand mourners gathered at St Patrick's Church. Inside it was standing room only. Outside, hundreds more stood in the car park.

And here in Port-au-Ferri over the years, crowds have gathered here to welcome Ciara home. You know, after she won European goals in 2024, or the other time she won medals in other athletics championships. Today, they were back to say their final farewell. It's a very difficult contrast to take in.

The procession made its way from her family home along Bally Philip Road to the church with her husband Thomas, her parents, her family and friends accompanying her coffin. Dozens of members of her local GA club walked behind in their jerseys while others formed a guard of honor outside St Patrick's Church. And at the beginning of the mass, Father Martin Kelly, who says he's known Ciara since she was a child, remembered her as a bright light in the darkness, someone who made the world a brighter place, he said. And he told mourners about a conversation he had with Ciara when he visited her in the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast shortly before she died. He said they spoke about death and acceptance of death. He said he gave her the sacrament for the sick, he rubbed oil on her head and hands and told her how much she was loved by her husband, her parents, her family, her friends and by many people across the country and across the world. He said they then sat for a while in silence. And then all of a sudden, she asked Father Kelly to go for a walk.

Father Martin Kelly (2:19)

We sat for a while, I sat for a while, and then she perked up.

And she said, let's go for a walk. Couldn't believe it. I wasn't expecting that. I said, sure. Thinking that it would be easy because of her condition. I'd be able, even at the age of 85, to match her stride for stride. But for Ciara, a walk was much more than a dander. We did a round of a few streets up around the hospice. And when we got to the top, she said, let's do another round.

I nearly collapsed. Then she said, okay, let's go back to the room. On the way down, she knew I was struggling. And she said, let me link you. Now, there's still a bit of the macho man in me. So I hesitated. Licking arms wasn't me. Then I gave in. And one of my happiest moments and memories is that of Ciara Mageean, linking my arm as we walked back to her room.

Just a few weeks before she went to heaven.

Ciara Kelly (4:22)

That's a lovely story from Father Martin Kelly there, Barry. Barry, of course, it is just over a week since we saw those photographs on the 25th of October of her family and friends celebrating her wedding, Ciara, in a beautiful white dress.

Barry Whyte (4:37)

Yeah, and more has been told about that wedding was one of the most poignant parts of today's service. Ciara married her long-term partner, Thomas Morrone, in Belfast on the 13th of October just three weeks ago today.

Many people have seen those lovely photographs of the two of them around the city, outside City Hall at the Titanic docks and beneath the umbrellas in the Cathedral Quarter. They then had a bigger celebration with family and friends just over a week ago. So in such a short space of time, those closest to her have gone from celebrating their marriage to gathering here today for her funeral and Father Martin Kelly spoke about just how much it meant to Ciara to marry her Tommy.

Father Martin Kelly (5:20)

When Ciara decided to marry Tommy, the love of her life, as she always said, she wanted to give everybody around a lavish, memorable occasion for two events for her wedding. And she looked radiant at both of them, at the center of each event, and I could see her, saw her dancing and singing, so full of joy and so happy to be able to celebrate her big day with Tommy. She was determined to give everybody a day to remember. After the second celebration, she retired to her hospital, hospice bed, and that was it. She sank lower and lower.