Olympian Ciara Mageean latest to support road safety campaign

Olympian Ciara Mageean latest to support road safety campaign

23 April 2025

PORTAFERRY Olympian Ciara Mageean is the latest high-profile sports personality to support a road safety campaign aimed at reducing road deaths.

The local athlete has signed up to the Department for Infrastructure’s Share the Road to Zero campaign, which encourages greater responsibility and care on the roads.

Ciara joins a growing list of well-known sports stars backing the initiative, including Liverpool and Northern Ireland footballer Conor Bradley, senior women’s footballer Emily Wilson, Ulster Rugby trio Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney, and Michael Lowry, Ulster GAA star Rory Grugan and the Belfast Giants.

The 1500m European champion added gold to her previous silver and bronze medals at last summer’s championships in Rome. 

Currently recovering from surgery that forced her withdrawal from the 2024 Olympic Games, the Portaferry athlete is focused on returning to competition and has her sights set on the World Championships in Tokyo this September.

Ciara said she’s proud to add her voice to the Department for Infrastructure’s Share the Road to Zero campaign. 

“When I race, speed is essential but, on the road, excessive speed can be deadly,” she said.

“As drivers, we must always adjust our speed to suit the road conditions. Coming from a rural area I know firsthand the challenges of country roads – sharp bends, poor visibility and unexpected obstacles like pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders and slow-moving farm vehicles.”

Ciara added: “We must anticipate these at every turn and drive with caution.”

Sadly, 69 people lost their lives on roads across the province last year, with hundreds of people also seriously injured.

Two-thirds of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions occur on rural roads.

So far this year 12 people have lost their lives on our roads.

DfI minister Liz Kimmins said she’s delighted Ciara has signed up to the Share the Road to Zero Campaign.

“Ciara is a brilliant role model for our young people, many of whom are new drivers on our roads,” said Ms Kimmins.

“Her message is particularly important over the Easter holidays when many of us will be on the roads going on breaks and visiting friends and relatives.”

The DfI minister said the number of deaths on the roads is of great concern and each loss leaves many families, friends and communities devastated.

She continued: “One of the best ways to ensure safety on our roads and fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating death and serious injury by 2050, is by changing road user behaviour.

“We all have a personal responsibility to behave in a way that keeps ourselves and others safe and this campaign reminds us of that.”

Ms Kimmins added: “ The sad reality is that if we do not change our own attitudes when we are using the roads, our death toll will continue to increase.”