The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFAI Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Irish Player of the Year) award is given to the footballer the League of Ireland Premier Division, who is seen to have been the best player of the previous season.Ireland – Player of the Year and Other Awards
/ref> The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (the PFAI), and then the winner is voted for by the other players in the league. The prize is regarded as the highest awarded by the PFAI and is seen as the primary "Player of the Year" award in Ireland. The award was first given in 1981, and was won by Athlone Town player

Padraig O'Connor Padraig O'Connor was an Irish soccer player in the League of Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s. He played for Bohemians from 1973 to 1978 winning 2 league titles and making 147 league appearances (8 as sub), scoring 11 goals. He also made 14 ...

. The latest winner of the award is

Rory Gaffney Rory Nicholas Gaffney (born 23 October 1989) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for League of Ireland Club Shamrock Rovers Career Limerick Gaffney started his career at League of Ireland First Division team Mervue Unite ...

of Shamrock Rovers.

List of winners

''Highlighted players are winning the award for a second time.''

2020s

2010s

2000s

1990s

1980s

Breakdown of winners

Winners by club

Winners by country

References

External links

Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
{{National Footballer of the Year Ireland, PFAI Professional Footballers Association of Ireland Player of the Year Awards established in 1981 1981 establishments in Ireland Annual events in Ireland League of Ireland Premier Division Association football player non-biographical articles