Ciara Mageean close to tears as Irish 1500m record holder pays ...
CIARA Mageean paid a touching tribute to her late former coach Jerry Kiernan on RTE's Late Late Show.
The Kerryman and former Olympian passed away in 2021, he won the Dublin Marathon on two occasions.
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The former schoolteacher was also a respected coach with Ciara Mageean his highest-profile athlete in recent years.
Aside from training athletes, he was well-known for his straight-talking analysis on RTE during the Olympics and major athletics championships.
Current Irish 1500m record holder Mageean expressed her sadness after leaving her the coach Kiernan to train in the UK before his untimely death.
Mageean, who finished 4th at World Championship during the summer was visibly upset as she expressed her sadness when asked about Kiernan by host Patrick Kielty.
She said: "Hands down it was harder leaving Jerry. You're on to something now because I always cry when I speak about Jerry.
"For me to leave the set up here in Dublin and go and train professionally in Manchester was something I couldn't pass up.
"But leaving Jerry Kieran as my coach was the hardest thing I'd ever done because I left my boyfriend Thomas in Dublin but I was more cut-up about leaving Jerry.
"Yeah, that was really tough, and then when I was in Manchester getting the news of Jerry's death - myself and Thomas.
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"He was also coached by Jerry, too, that hit us really hard - and it hit many people really hard."
She went on to praise her late coach by saying he thought her more than just how to perform on the track.
Mageean fondly added: "A lovely gentleman sent me a picture of Jerry before I raced in the World Championships. It hit me a little close to home but I know he's up there with the best seat in the house.
"I'm pretty sure he'll be proud of the little prodigy he took on. He though me so much about athletics but more about being the person you want to be.
"And I'm so grateful to have had Jerry Kiernan in my life."
Mageean is now aiming for a podium finish at next summer's Olympic Games in Paris.
The County Down star was aiming to become the first Irish track medallist for 28 years.
