RTÉ Sport Shortlist: 12 Nominees for the 2025 Sportsperson of the Year

RTÉ Sport has announced the 12 nominees for the 2025 RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year. The shortlist features leading Irish stars from boxing, athletics, rowing, golf, football, and para-sport. Each athlete delivered outstanding achievements at the national and international levels.

The RTÉ Sport Awards will be presented by Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney, and David Gillick. The ceremony will be broadcast live from Studio 4 on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Saturday, 20 December at 8.05 pm.

On the night, four major awards will be handed out:

• RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year

• RTÉ Sport Team of the Year

• RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year

• RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year

Below are the nominees and the achievements that earned each athlete their place on the list.

Aoife O’Rourke – World Champion Boxer

O’Rourke enjoyed a remarkable year. She won World Championship gold and added IBA World silver in the middleweight division, confirming her status as one of Ireland’s elite fighters.

Ben Healy – World Road Race Bronze Medallist

Healy made history as the first Irishman since Stephen Roche to lead the Tour de France. He also claimed a stage win. In addition, he secured World Championship bronze, Ireland’s first road race medal since 1989.

David Clifford – Three-Time Footballer of the Year

Clifford reached new heights in 2025. He became the first player to win Footballer of the Year three times. He also finished as the championship’s top scorer with 8-62, added league, provincial and All-Ireland titles, and collected his sixth All-Star.

Fiona Murtagh – World Single Sculls Champion

Murtagh switched to single sculls this season and quickly excelled. She won World Championship gold, claimed European silver, and finished second at the World Rowing Cup.

Katie McCabe – Champions League Winner & 100-Cap Milestone

McCabe had another standout year. She lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League with Arsenal and earned her 100th cap for Ireland. She also played a key role in Ireland’s Nations League play-off victory over Belgium.

Kate O’Connor – Double World Heptathlon Silver

O’Connor delivered one of the strongest seasons of her career. She won the World Championship silver in both indoor and outdoor events. She also claimed World University Games gold, European Indoor bronze, and set a new Irish record of 6714 points.

Lara Gillespie – World & European Track Cycling Gold

Gillespie made history as Ireland’s first female track cycling world champion. She won gold in the elimination race at the UCI Track World Championships and repeated the feat at the European Championships.

Orla Comerford – Double World Para Athletics Gold

Comerford produced a sensational campaign. She won two gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, triumphing in both the T13 100m and 200m.

Rory McIlroy – Masters Champion & History Maker

McIlroy finally completed the career Grand Slam with his first Masters victory. He backed it up with three PGA Tour wins, two DP World Tour titles, and helped Europe reclaim the Ryder Cup.

Róisín Ní Riain – Five-Time World Para Swimming Medallist

Ní Riain impressed throughout the championships in Singapore. She secured three silver medals—in the 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke and 400m freestyle—and added bronze in the 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley.

Sarah Healy – European Indoor 3000m Champion

Healy took a major step forward in 2025. She won European Indoor gold in the 3000m, claimed her first Diamond League victory, and reached the World Championships final in the same event.

Troy Parrott – Hat-Trick Hero in World Cup Qualifying

Parrott delivered when Ireland needed him most. He scored a decisive brace against Portugal and followed it with a hat-trick against Hungary, becoming the first Irish player since 2014 to score a competitive hat-trick. His goals sent Ireland into the World Cup play-offs.