Career
She has competed in four Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012). Loughnane earned $60,000 in prize money from the IAAF for her gold medal. She failed to finish the walk at the 2010 European Athletics Championships.
Loughane was born in 1976 in County Cork, the eldest of seven children.
She moved to Carrabane, County Galway with her family when she was a child. She currently lives in Coachford, Cork with her family.
She is a graduate of National University of Ireland Galway. She announced her retirement in February 2013.