RTÉ Sports Person of the Year
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The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award is the titular award of the RTÉ Sports Awards ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the Irish sportsperson (from the island of
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
) judged to have achieved the most that year. The winner was originally chosen by a special panel of RTÉ journalists and editorial staff, but was selected by a public vote from a pre-determined shortlist in 2016. The first Irish sports award ceremony took place in 1985, and was closely modelled on the
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award is the main award of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the sportsperson, judged by a public vote, to have achieved the most that year. The ...
. Four people have won the award multiple times:
athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...
Sonia O'Sullivan Sonia O'Sullivan (born 28 November 1969) is an Irish people, Irish former track and field athlete. She won a gold medal in the 5000 metres at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics, 1995 World Championships, and a silver medal in the 5000 met ...
won the award five times, including a record three successive awards, and
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
er
Pádraig Harrington Pádraig Peter Harrington (born 31 August 1971) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Champ ...
and boxer
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
, with three wins, and
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
er
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
, who won it twice. The oldest recipient of the award is
Christy O'Connor Jnr Christy O'Connor Jnr (born Christopher O'Connor; 19 August 1948 – 6 January 2016) was an Irish professional golfer. He is best known for defeating American Fred Couples at the 1989 Ryder Cup, helping Europe secure the trophy. Early life O'C ...
, who won in 1989 aged 41. Rory McIlroy, who first won in 2011, aged 22, is the youngest winner. Ten sporting disciplines have been represented;
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
has the highest representation, with eight recipients.
Eamonn Darcy Eamonn Christopher Darcy (born 7 August 1952) is an Irish professional golfer. He won four times on the European Tour and played in the Ryder Cup four times. Professional career Darcy, with a handicap of 12, turned professional at the age of ...
,
Ronan Rafferty Ronan Patrick Rafferty (born 13 January 1964) is a Northern Irish professional golfer who formerly played on the European Tour. He was the leading European player of 1989. Early life Rafferty was born in Newry, Northern Ireland. He won the B ...
and
Des Smyth Desmond John Smyth (born 12 February 1953) is an Irish professional golfer. He won eight times on the European Tour between 1979 and 2001. He also had a successful senior career winning twice on the Champions Tour and five times on the European ...
, who won the
Alfred Dunhill Cup The Alfred Dunhill Cup was a team golf tournament which ran from 1985 to 2000, sponsored by Alfred Dunhill Ltd. It was for three-man teams of professional golfers, one team representing each country, and was promoted as the "World Team Championshi ...
in 1988, are the only non-individual winners of the award. Counting them separately, there have been thirty-one winners of the award (from 1985 to 2021). Five of these have been
Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...
. The most recent award was made in 2022 to
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
.


Winners


By number of wins

This table lists those who have won more than once (ordered by the most wins, with the earliest win acting as a tie-breaker). ''Accurate up-to and including the 2022 award.''


By Sport

This table lists the total number of awards won by the winner's sport (ordered by number of wins, with the earliest win acting as a tie-breaker). The 3 winners in 1988 (all golfers) are counted separately. ''Accurate up-to and including the 2022 award.''


By nationality

This table lists the total number of awards won by each nationality. The 3 winners in 1988 (two from the Republic of Ireland, and one from Northern Ireland) are counted separately. ''Accurate up-to and including the 2021 award.''


By gender

This table lists the total number of awards won by the winner's gender. There have not yet been any mixed-gender winners (unlike figure-skating couple
Jayne Torvill Jayne Torvill, OBE (born 7 October 1957) is a British professional ice dancer and former competitor. With Christopher Dean, she won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics and a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics, becoming one of the ...
and
Christopher Dean Christopher Colin Dean, OBE (born 27 July 1958) is a British ice dancer who won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics with his skating partner Jayne Torvill. They also won a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Early life Dean grew u ...
in the British equivalent). The 3 (male) winners in 1988 are counted separately. ''Accurate up-to and including the 2021 award.''


By disability

So far (as of the 2021 awards) all winners have been able-bodied athletes, but para athletes among the nominees have included
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(para athletics) in 2012 to 2014, 2017 to 2019, and 2021, and Katie George Dunlevy and
Eve McCrystal Evelyn McCrystal (born 28 July 1978) is an Irish Paralympic cycle sport, cyclist competing in Tandem (UCI), tandem events for Ireland, as a sighted pilot for blindness, blind cyclist Katie-George Dunlevy. Career McCrystal won a gold medal at th ...
(para cycling) in 2016 and 2017.


2010s winners and nominees

The winner is in bold.


2010

*
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(boxing) *
Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell (born 30 July 1979) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland. He has a total of eleven tournament victories on the European Tour, and four on the PGA Tour, including one major championship, the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Be ...
(golf) *
Gráinne Murphy Gráinne Murphy (born 26 March 1993) is a former swimmer who represented Ireland at international level. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, though due to illness only swam the heats of the 400m Freestyle. She was forced to w ...
(swimming) *
Tony McCoy Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a reco ...
(horse racing) *
Lar Corbett Laurence Corbett (born 16 March 1981) is an Irish former hurler who played for Tipperary Championship club Thurles Sarsfields. He played for the Tipperary senior hurling team for 15 years, during which time he usually lined out as a left corn ...
(hurling) *
Paddy Barnes Patrick Gerard Barnes (born 9 April 1987) is an Irish former boxer who competed as an amateur from 2005 to 2016 and as a professional from 2016 to 2019. As an amateur he competed in the light-flyweight division, representing Ireland at the 200 ...
(boxing) *
Tommy Bowe Thomas John Bowe (born 22 February 1984) is an Irish former rugby union player from County Monaghan, Ireland. He played on the wing for Ulster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions. In March 2012, after four years with Ospreys in Swansea, Wa ...
(rugby union) *
Derval O'Rourke Derval O'Rourke (born 28 May 1981) is an Irish former sprint hurdles athlete. She competed internationally in the 60 and 100 metres hurdles, and is the Irish national record holder in both events. She participated in two Ind ...
(athletics) *
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
(golf)


2011

*
Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke, (born 14 August 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and has previously played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He has won 21 tournaments worldwide on a ...
(golf) * Michael Fennelly (hurling) * Seán O'Brien (rugby union) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(boxing) *
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
(golf) *
John Joe Nevin John Joseph "John Joe" Nevin (born 7 June 1988), is an Irish professional boxer. He is a two-time Olympian, and a London 2012 silver medalist. Early life John Joseph Nevin was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and is a member of the Travel ...
(boxing) * Kevin O'Brien (
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
) *
Alan Brogan Alan Brogan (born 11 January 1982) is a Gaelic footballer from the St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh club who played for the Dublin county team from 2002 until his retirement in 2015. He can play in the full forward line but usually played cen ...
(
Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
) *
Robbie Keane Robert David Keane (born 8 July 1980) is an Irish professional Association football, football coach and former Football player, player who played as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker. Keane served as Captain (association football ...
(soccer)


2012

*
Fionnuala Britton Fionnuala McCormack (née Britton; born 24 September 1984 in Wicklow) is an Irish runner who has competed at a range of distance running events. She was the gold medallist at the 2011 and 2012 European Cross Country Championships. She has repr ...
(athletics) *
Rob Kearney Robert Kearney (born 26 March 1986) is an Irish rugby union former player. He played for 15 years for Leinster followed by a 6 month stint in Australia, playing for Perth based side Western Force. He also played over a decade for the Ireland na ...
(rugby union) *
Karl Lacey Karl Lacey (born 10 September 1984) is an Irish Gaelic football coach who plays for Four Masters and also, formerly, for the Donegal county team. His county's most decorated individual, his personal achievements include four All Star awardsâ ...
(Gaelic football) *
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
(golf) *
Michael McKillop Michael Gerard McKillop (born 27 January 1990 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland) is an Irish middle distance runner. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. He won the 800m title at th ...
(athletics) * Joseph O'Brien (horse racing) * Mark Rohan (cycling) *
Henry Shefflin Henry Shefflin (born 11 January 1979) is an Irish hurling manager and former player who is the current manager of the Galway senior hurling team. In his playing career he was nicknamed "King Henry" because of his directive style, dominance, c ...
(hurling) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(
para Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly ...
athletics) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(boxing)


2013

*
Robert Heffernan Robert Heffernan (born 28 February 1978) is an Irish race walker. Career At the 2000 Olympics he finished in 28th place, and at the 2004 Olympics he was disqualified, both in the 20 km race walking discipline. At the 2008 Olympic Games ...
(athletics) *
Martyn Irvine Martyn Irvine (born 6 June 1985) is a Northern Ireland-born former cyclist, who competed professionally between 2008 and 2017 for the Pezula Racing, Planet X, , , and teams, and rode at the 2012 Olympic Games. He was also a directeur sportif fo ...
(cycling) * Tony Kelly (hurling) *
Michael Darragh MacAuley Michael Darragh MacAuley is a Gaelic footballer who plays club football for Ballyboden St Enda's GAA, Ballyboden St Enda's and inter-county for Dublin county football team, Dublin county team from 2010 until 2020. He plays his club football wit ...
(Gaelic football) *
Tony McCoy Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a reco ...
(horse racing) *
Michael McKillop Michael Gerard McKillop (born 27 January 1990 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland) is an Irish middle distance runner. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. He won the 800m title at th ...
(athletics) * Annalise Murphy (
sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cour ...
) * Joseph O'Brien (horse racing) *
Jason Quigley Jason Quigley is an Australian rules football field umpire in the Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AF ...
(boxing) *
Johnny Sexton Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton (born 11 July 1985) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Leinster Rugby and Ireland, and he also captains both teams. He represented the British & Irish Lions in both 2013 and 2017 and has scored o ...
(rugby union) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(para athletics)


2014

*
Niamh Briggs Niamh (; from Old Irish ) is an Irish language, Irish feminine given name (meaning "bright" or "radiant"), Anglicisation, anglicised as Neve, Nieve, Neave, Neavh or Neeve. In Irish mythology, Niamh (mythology), Niamh is the daughter of the god ...
(rugby union) *
Seamus Coleman Seamus may refer to: * Séamus, a male first name of Gaelic origin Film and television * Seamus (''Family Guy''), a character on the television series ''Family Guy'' * Seamus, a pigeon in '' Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore'' * Seamus Mc ...
(soccer) *
Briege Corkery Briege Corkery (born 16 December 1986) in Cork is a camogie player, ladies' Gaelic footballer, and winner of seven All Ireland Senior Camogie medals in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2018 as well as the winner of eleven All Ireland Se ...
(
camogie Camogie ( ; ga, camógaíocht ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game of hurling (which is played by men onl ...
and
ladies' Gaelic football Ladies' Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach na mBan) is a women's team sport. It is the women's equivalent of Gaelic football. Ladies' football is organised by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. Two teams of 15 players kick or hand-pass a ...
) * Mark English (athletics) *
Carl Frampton Carl Frampton (born 21 February 1987) is a former professional boxer from Northern Ireland who competed from 2009 to 2021. He is a former two-weight world champion, having held the WBA (Unified) and IBF super-bantamweight titles between 2014 a ...
(boxing) *
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
(golf) *
Michael McKillop Michael Gerard McKillop (born 27 January 1990 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland) is an Irish middle distance runner. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. He won the 800m title at th ...
(athletics) *
James O'Donoghue James O'Donoghue (born 19 June 1990) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Kerry SFC club Killarney Legion. He is a former player at senior level for the Kerry county team. Career Born in Killarney, County Kerry, O'Donoghue's father, ...
(Gaelic football) *
Johnny Sexton Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton (born 11 July 1985) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Leinster Rugby and Ireland, and he also captains both teams. He represented the British & Irish Lions in both 2013 and 2017 and has scored o ...
(rugby union) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(para athletics) *
Richie Hogan Richard Hogan (born 8 August 1988) is an Irish hurler who plays as a midfielder at senior level for the Kilkenny county team. Born in Waterford in 1988, Hogan is a native of Danesfort, County Kilkenny. Hogan first played competitive hurlin ...
(hurling) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(boxing)


2015

* Michael Conlan (boxing) *
Leighton Aspell Leighton Aspell (born 12 June 1976) is a retired Irish jockey, whose wins include the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle riding United, two runnings of the Welsh National, the 2014 Grand National riding Pineau de Re and the 2015 Grand National riding ...
(horse racing) *
Rena Buckley Rena Buckley is an Irish sportswoman who played at senior level for both the Cork county ladies' football team and the Cork county camogie team. She has also represented Munster in the Gael Linn Cup and Ireland at international rules. Between ...
(
camogie Camogie ( ; ga, camógaíocht ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game of hurling (which is played by men onl ...
) * Andy Lee (boxing) *
Shane Lowry Shane Lowry (born 2 April 1987) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. His notable achievements include winning the 2019 Open Championship, the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, and the 2015 WGC-Bridg ...
(golf) *
Jack McCaffrey Jack McCaffrey (born 19 October 1993) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for Clontarf. Early and personal life His father Noel also represented Dublin in football. McCaffrey attended Belvedere College private school and studied medicine at Univ ...
(Gaelic football) *
Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...
(golf) *
Michael McKillop Michael Gerard McKillop (born 27 January 1990 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland) is an Irish middle distance runner. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. He won the 800m title at th ...
(athletics) *
Paul O'Connell Paul Jeremiah O'Connell (born 20 October 1979) is an Irish former rugby union player and coach. When he stopped playing, he was Ireland's third most-capped player (108) and the eighteenth most-capped international player in rugby union histo ...
(rugby union) * TJ Reid (hurling) *
Sophie Spence Sophie Spence (born 26 February 1987) is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Spence represented Ireland at the 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. Spence was a member of the first Ireland teams to defeat and . She was als ...
(rugby union) * Richie Towell (soccer) * Jon Walters (soccer) *
Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor ( ga, Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir; born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight double-champion. He is the first ...
(
MMA Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
)


2016

*
Séamus Callanan Séamus Callanan (born 15 September 1988) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Senior Championship club Drom & Inch and is the captain of the Tipperary senior hurling team. Often considered one of the best players of the current generat ...
(hurling) * Eoghan Clifford (cycling) *
Katie-George Dunlevy Katie-George Dunlevy (born 26 November 1981) is an English-born Paralympic cyclist competing in tandem events for Ireland, and formerly a pararowing competitor for Great Britain in the 4+ Mixed LTA class. Career Dunlevy won a gold medal at th ...
&
Eve McCrystal Evelyn McCrystal (born 28 July 1978) is an Irish Paralympic cycle sport, cyclist competing in Tandem (UCI), tandem events for Ireland, as a sighted pilot for blindness, blind cyclist Katie-George Dunlevy. Career McCrystal won a gold medal at th ...
(
para Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly ...
cycling) *
Denise Gaule Denise Gaule (born 1991) is a camogie player and student. The winner of the Young Player of the Year award of 2009, she played in the 2009 All Ireland camogie final. She came to public attention during the 2009 All-Ireland semi-final against Ga ...
(camogie) *
Brian Fenton Brian Fenton (born 2 March 1994) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Raheny club and for the Dublin county team. He was the 2018 and 2020 All Stars Footballer of the Year. Education and family His father (Brian senior), is from Spa, out ...
(Gaelic football) *
Carl Frampton Carl Frampton (born 21 February 1987) is a former professional boxer from Northern Ireland who competed from 2009 to 2021. He is a former two-weight world champion, having held the WBA (Unified) and IBF super-bantamweight titles between 2014 a ...
(boxing) * Daryl Horgan (soccer) * Annalise Murphy (sailing) *
Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor ( ga, Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir; born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight double-champion. He is the first ...
(MMA) *
Paul O'Donovan Paul O'Donovan (born 19 April 1994) is an Irish lightweight rower. He is an Olympic gold medallist in lightweight double sculls where he set a new world's best time for that event and is a five-time world champion in single and double sculls. ...
(rowing) *
Jamie Heaslip James Peter Richard Heaslip (born 15 December 1983) is an Irish rugby union former player who played for Leinster and Ireland. He played as a number 8. Heaslip earned 95 caps for Ireland during his international career from 2006 to 2017, makin ...
(rugby union) *
Bríd Stack Bríd Stack ( (born 16 December 1986) is a former All-Ireland winning former ladies' Gaelic footballer. Playing for Cork, she won the All-Ireland Ladies' Gaelic Football Championship 11 times, and was an Ladies' Gaelic Football All Stars Awards ...
(ladies' Gaelic football)


2017

*
Rena Buckley Rena Buckley is an Irish sportswoman who played at senior level for both the Cork county ladies' football team and the Cork county camogie team. She has also represented Munster in the Gael Linn Cup and Ireland at international rules. Between ...
(Camogie) * Ryan Burnett (Boxing) *
Joe Canning Joseph Canning (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish hurling, hurler who plays for club side Portumna GAA, Portumna and previously at inter-county level with the Galway county hurling team, Galway senior hurling team. Often considered one of the g ...
(Hurling) * Katie George Dunlevy and
Eve McCrystal Evelyn McCrystal (born 28 July 1978) is an Irish Paralympic cycle sport, cyclist competing in Tandem (UCI), tandem events for Ireland, as a sighted pilot for blindness, blind cyclist Katie-George Dunlevy. Career McCrystal won a gold medal at th ...
(para cycling) *
Noëlle Healy Dr. Noëlle Healy is a senior Dublin county ladies' football team, Dublin ladies' footballer. She was a member of the Dublin teams that won the All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship in 2010 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Champio ...
(Ladies' Gaelic Football) *
James McClean James Joseph McClean ( ; born 22 April 1989) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Wigan Athletic and the Republic of Ireland national team. McClean played with Trojans, Institute, his hometown ...
(Soccer) *
Michael McKillop Michael Gerard McKillop (born 27 January 1990 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland) is an Irish middle distance runner. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. He won the 800m title at th ...
(Athletics) *
Andy Moran Andy Moran (born 2 November 1983) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player for Ballaghaderreen and the Mayo county team. He made his 150th league and championship appearance for Mayo in June 2017, his 13th season. Playing care ...
(Gaelic Football) *
Conor Murray Conor Murray (born 20 April 1989) is an Irish rugby union player who plays for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup. Internationally, Murray has represented Ireland and the British & Irish Lions, whom he ...
(Rugby) *
Paul O'Donovan Paul O'Donovan (born 19 April 1994) is an Irish lightweight rower. He is an Olympic gold medallist in lightweight double sculls where he set a new world's best time for that event and is a five-time world champion in single and double sculls. ...
(Rowing) *
Robbie Power Robbie "Puppy" Power is a retired National Hunt jockey. The son of Irish show-jumper Con Power, Robbie Power rode the 33-1 outsider Silver Birch to victory in the 2007 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday 14 April 200 ...
(Horse racing) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(Para athletics) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(Boxing) * Joe Ward (Boxing)


2018

*
Sinéad Aherne Sinéad Aherne is a senior Dublin ladies' footballer. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, she captained Dublin as they won the All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship. In 2010, when Dublin won their first All-Ireland title, she was both pla ...
(Ladies' Gaelic Football) * Thomas Barr (Athletics) *
Brian Fenton Brian Fenton (born 2 March 1994) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Raheny club and for the Dublin county team. He was the 2018 and 2020 All Stars Footballer of the Year. Education and family His father (Brian senior), is from Spa, out ...
(Gaelic Football) *
Kellie Harrington Kellie Anne Harrington (born 11 December 1989) is an Irish amateur boxer, amateur World champion and an Olympic gold medallist. She was a silver medallist in the light welterweight division at the 2016 Women's World Boxing Championships. She w ...
(Boxing) * Ellen Keane (Swimming) *
Cian Lynch Cian Lynch (born 3 January 1996) is an Irish hurler who plays as a center forward for Limerick Championship club Patrickswell, where he has held the role of captain, and the Limerick senior team. Recognised for his exceptional skill level but ...
(Hurling) *
Rhys McClenaghan Rhys Joshua McClenaghan (born 21 July 1999) is a Northern Irish artistic gymnast competing internationally for both Northern Ireland and Ireland. He is the 2022 world champion on pommel horse, the first Irish artistic gymnast ever to win world ...
(Gymnastics) *
Ayeisha McFerran Ayeisha McFerran (born 10 January 1996) is an Ireland women's field hockey international. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final. She was also named Goalkeeper of the Tournament. McFerran was ...
(
Hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
) *
Sanita Pušpure Sanita Pušpure (; born 21 December 1981) is a Latvian-born Irish professional rower. She was a back-to-back world champion in the women's single scull winning her title at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv and defending it at the 2 ...
(
Rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...
) *
Davy Russell Davy Russell (born 27 June 1979) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National (twice), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. Childhood and ama ...
(Horse racing) *
Johnny Sexton Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton (born 11 July 1985) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Leinster Rugby and Ireland, and he also captains both teams. He represented the British & Irish Lions in both 2013 and 2017 and has scored o ...
(Rugby) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(Para athletics) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(Boxing)


2019

*
Séamus Callanan Séamus Callanan (born 15 September 1988) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Senior Championship club Drom & Inch and is the captain of the Tipperary senior hurling team. Often considered one of the best players of the current generat ...
(Hurling) * Stephen Cluxton (Gaelic Football) *
Niamh Kilkenny Niamh Kilkenny is a camogie player, a member of the Galway senior panel that won the All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship in 2013 & 2019 and unsuccessfully contested the All Ireland finals of 2010 and 2011 against Wexford Wexford () ...
(Camogie) *
Shane Lowry Shane Lowry (born 2 April 1987) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. His notable achievements include winning the 2019 Open Championship, the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, and the 2015 WGC-Bridg ...
(Golf) *
Ciara Mageean Ciara Mageean ( ) (born 12 March 1992) is a middle-distance runner from Portaferry in Northern Ireland who specialises in the 1500 metres. She is a three-time European Athletics Championship medallist at the event, with bronze in 2016 and silve ...
(Athletics) *
Rhys McClenaghan Rhys Joshua McClenaghan (born 21 July 1999) is a Northern Irish artistic gymnast competing internationally for both Northern Ireland and Ireland. He is the 2022 world champion on pommel horse, the first Irish artistic gymnast ever to win world ...
(
Gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
) *
Denise O'Sullivan Denise O'Sullivan (born 4 February 1994) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the American club North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Republic of Ireland national team which s ...
(Soccer) *
Sanita Pušpure Sanita Pušpure (; born 21 December 1981) is a Latvian-born Irish professional rower. She was a back-to-back world champion in the women's single scull winning her title at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv and defending it at the 2 ...
(Rowing) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(Para athletics) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(Boxing)


2020s winners and nominees

The winner is in bold.


2020

*
Sanita Pušpure Sanita Pušpure (; born 21 December 1981) is a Latvian-born Irish professional rower. She was a back-to-back world champion in the women's single scull winning her title at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv and defending it at the 2 ...
(Rowing) * Sam Bennett (Cycling) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(Boxing) *
Ciarán Kilkenny Ciarán Kilkenny (born 7 July 1993) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for the Dublin county team and as a dual player for his club Castleknock. He was previously on the playing list of Australian rules football club Hawthorn, as a rook ...
(Gaelic Football) * Gearóid Hegarty (Hurling) *
Colin Keane Colin Keane (born 12 September 1994) is an Irish jockey who competes in flat racing. He was Irish flat racing Champion Jockey in 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Keane was born in County Meath and rode his first race winner at Dundalk in December ...
(Horse Racing)


2021

*
Rachael Blackmore Rachael Blackmore (born 11 July 1989) is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National in the 182-year history of the race. She also became the first woman to be lea ...
(Horse Racing) *
Kellie Harrington Kellie Anne Harrington (born 11 December 1989) is an Irish amateur boxer, amateur World champion and an Olympic gold medallist. She was a silver medallist in the light welterweight division at the 2016 Women's World Boxing Championships. She w ...
(Boxing) * Ellen Keane (Swimming) *
Cian Lynch Cian Lynch (born 3 January 1996) is an Irish hurler who plays as a center forward for Limerick Championship club Patrickswell, where he has held the role of captain, and the Limerick senior team. Recognised for his exceptional skill level but ...
(Hurling) *
Leona Maguire Leona Maguire (born 30 November 1994) is an Irish professional golfer. She was ranked 1st in the world on the women's World Amateur Golf Ranking from May 2015 until May 2016 and then from August 2016 until February 2018. Maguire's 135 weeks a ...
(Golf) *
Jason Smyth Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is a Northern Irish sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease; he also competes in elite non-Pa ...
(Para athletics) *
Katie Taylor Katie Taylor (born 2 July 1986) is an Irish professional boxer and former footballer. She is a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, having held the WBA title since 2017; the IBF title since 2018; and the ...
(Boxing) * Vikki Wall (Ladies' Gaelic football)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:RTE Sports Person of the Year 2000 establishments in Ireland Awards established in 2000
Ire Ire or IRE may refer to: Ire * Extreme anger; intense fury * Irē, the Livonian name for Mazirbe, Latvia * A town in Oye, Nigeria * ''Ire'' (album), a 2015 album by the Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive * Ire (Iliad), a town mentioned in ...
RTÉ Sport Irish sports trophies and awards