“A light has gone out in the world. Authentic, talented, decent. Her kindness and wonderful personality was a joy to watch and see,” he wrote on social media.
Niblock recalled how Mageean had received disappointing news the day before their interview but had insisted on going ahead with the recording.
“It’s 90 minutes [co-presenter] Oisin [McConville] and myself will always treasure. She was the best of us,” he said.
He also paid tribute to her husband and the wider Portaferry community.
“I’ve never met a person who met Ciara, who didn’t love her,” he added.
Patrick Kielty, who said it was a “privilege” to interview Mageean on Irish national broadcaster RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, said “she wasn’t just a champion on the track”.
“She was a champion of others who showed us all how to live.”