Luke Thomas has opened up about the death of his partner Ciara Gunning, who sadly passed away from cancer aged 43 in January, saying he held onto hope right up to the end
12:02, 07 Jun 2026Updated 12:04, 07 Jun 2026
Luke Thomas has spoken about the devastating death of girlfriend, Ciara.
Irish singer Luke Thomas admits he clung to hope “right up to the end” when his girlfriend Ciara Gunning passed away.
Ciara tragically died from cancer aged 43 in January, leaving Luke, her family and friends heartbroken.
The Meath woman was diagnosed with the disease a year prior to her death.
Singer Luke reveals she confronted her illness with unwavering courage and determination.
He said: “At first, you’re on a journey where your only thought is to beat it. Your only thought is to get through it.”
“Initially, Ciara was very strong and got through it, and then, unfortunately, a second wave [of cancer] came back.
Ciara Gunning (Image: RIP.ie)
“It was a case of managing that as best as possible.
“It was a tough time to see someone that you’ve connected with going through that.”
Luke explains he did everything possible to remain upbeat for Ciara, with everyone praying for a better result, reports RSVP Live.
He added: “All I could do was to be there for her and bring a bit of positivity when I could.
“I suppose, right up to the end, there was always hope. Everyone was hoping for a different outcome, I suppose.”
Luke confessed he initially felt cheated of a future with his partner, but has worked to shift his perspective with time.
“I did feel a bit robbed at the start, but then, you know, people are on journeys,” he told the Irish Independent.
“All I can say is, the time I was with her, I was meant to be with her at the time.
Luke Thomas and girlfriend Ciara(Image: Instagram/Luke Thomas)
“I was supposed to be there for her. That was my role. I can’t look at it as, ‘I’ve been robbed’. That would haunt me.”
As frontman of Luke Thomas and The Swing Cats, the Dublin native regularly performs at weddings, something that has surprisingly brought him solace following Ciara’s death.
“We pushed out a lot of the tour dates after Ciara passed, and going back to the first show was strange,” Luke explained.
“I do an awful lot of weddings, so it’s people in love, right? That’s the main theme of what I do.
“But I’ve actually found strength and comfort in doing them.
“What we do is try to provide a few moments for a happy couple, and it’s something I’ve come back to as I’ve gotten older.”
Luke confessed that in his younger years, he struggled to comprehend what it meant to truly connect with someone and tie the knot.
“But now I know what that feels like,” he added.
“As a younger person, I’ve lost uncles and aunties, and you feel that, but to be fully connected to someone that could have potentially been the rest of your life… that’s different.”
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