'An amazing lady' - Irish Olympian opens up on heartbreaking cancer battle on RTÉ series
Ciara Mageean opened up about her cancer diagnoses on RTÉ's Uncharted with Ray Goggins
RTÉ viewers were left emotional during last night's episode of Uncharted with Ray Goggins as Irish Olympian Ciara Mageean opened up about her cancer diagnosis in a deeply personal and honest conversation.
The latest episode of the RTÉ adventure series saw Mageean take on the physically demanding challenge alongside former Dublin footballer Michael Darragh MacAuley, as the pair travelled through Costa Rica under the guidance of survival expert Ray Goggins.
Speaking candidly during the programme, Mageean reflected on the reality of facing a cancer diagnosis and the emotional impact it has had on her life and the people closest to her.
"What I wanted to achieve from this journey was to be reminded of the Ciara I was before cancer became a thing for me, and it did.
"Every challenge was tough, but I knew that I could keep going because I'm not going to stop in the middle of a tough climb and say, 'That's it, I give up', I know I'm not going to do that. That's not the person I am.
"I don't know when the end of this journey will come, but I know that sure as hell I'm going to enjoy every path along the way."
Megeean's honesty and vulnerability resonated with many viewers watching at home, with social media quickly filling with praise for the athlete's courage in speaking so openly.
In another segment, Ciara opened up about the heartbreak of possible not having a child of her own. She said,
"I'd put off having a family for so long because I always wanted to focus on my sport. And now I'm in this position, I'm like, 'Well, I probably won't ever have a family of my own'. I could adopt, but I don't even know if I will get too.
Praising her determination, Goggins said of Ciara,
"People in the best of their health and their best shape would not be able to compete this week, and she did it in between chemo. Incredible like."
Mageean, who is from Portaferry in County Down, is a middle-distance runner specialising in the 1,500m, and she's long been considered on of Ireland's top track athletes.
Revealing that she was diagnosed in May 2025, Ciara said life has been a whirlwind since.
"Initially, with the diagnosis you think, 'Oh my God, am I going to die?'
"Me and the girls always have plans for our big 40th birthday and I'm like, 'will I be there to celebrate that 40th birthday with my friends?' and it's really hard because as much as I can, I want to be me.
Speaking about her fiancé Thomas Moran, who she got engaged to in 2024, Ciara revealed the heartbreaking reality of possible not getting her happy ever after.
"I always envisioned growing old with Thomas, that I would get to see him age like a fine wine and get speckled bits of grey through his hair and the reality is I don't know if I will have that. I find that really tough. I keep seeing beautiful things and I can't help but wonder will I have the opportunity to see then again."
Ciara's career as an athlete has been full of incredible achievements along with of plenty setbacks, which made her story resonate with so many viewers. Her ability to come back fighting, even in the face of life's toughest challenges, is what continues to inspire so many.