A small Co Down town has come out in full support of homegrown athlete Ciara Mageean ahead of her Olympics appearance.
Residents and business owners have festooned Portaferry with posters, with the runner’s image even popping up in bus shelters and ferry stops.
Ciara’s mum, Catherine Mageean, said the support from the community has been “humbling”.
“Christopher and I are just overwhelmed by the whole thing, and just the support and the love that they share for her and for us as well,” she said.
“Everybody has been asking when we’re going, and everybody is smiling and it’s really from the bottom of their hearts that they’re giving us their well wishes.
“It’s actually emotional to sit here and think about it.”
Catherine said Ciara had no idea she would be receiving so much support back home.
She added: “It’s so humbling to think that people we know - neighbours, friends and the community - have gone out of their way to show their support.
“We’re just in awe of the generosity of people, asking us to pass on their congratulations. There is just this big cushion of air travelling across to her because there is so much support for her in this area.”
Ciara will be well supported at home and in Paris with her parents and two siblings set to make the journey over.
Both her parents were accomplished hurling and camogie players. The middle distance runner’s father is the famed former Down hurler Chris `The Hunter’ Mageean.
Last year, Ciara came fourth in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, breaking her own 1500m Irish record, a record she broke again at a Diamond League meeting in Brussels two weeks later.
Last month she struck gold for the first time at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.
