Irish Sports Legends
The greatest irish sports people of all time — across 11 sports.
⚽ Football
Northern Irish
Danny Blanchflower
Midfielder
Northern Irish footballer who captained Tottenham Hotspur to the first 20th-century League and FA Cu…
Northern Irish
George Best
Forward
Manchester United's mercurial genius — European Footballer of the Year 1968 and arguably the most na…
Irish
John Aldridge
Centre Forward
Republic of Ireland legend and Liverpool striker who scored 330 professional goals — one of the most…
Irish
Liam Brady
Midfielder
Sublimely gifted Irish playmaker whose left foot and creative brilliance lit up Arsenal and Italian …
Northern Irish
Pat Jennings
Goalkeeper
Legendary Northern Irish goalkeeper who excelled at both Tottenham and Arsenal across an extraordina…
Irish
Robbie Keane
Forward
Republic of Ireland's all-time leading scorer and one of the most consistent strikers to have played…
Irish
Roy Keane
Central Midfielder
Irish footballer and Manchester United captain known for his aggressive midfield play, leadership, a…
⛳ Golf
Northern Irish
Darren Clarke
Professional Golfer
Northern Irish professional golfer who won The Open Championship in 2011 and captured multiple PGA T…
Northern Irish
Graeme McDowell
Professional Golfer
Northern Irish champion who won the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach to become his country's first major…
Irish
Padraig Harrington
Professional Golfer
Irish professional golfer who won three major championships including consecutive Open Championships…
Northern Irish
Rory McIlroy
Professional Golfer
Northern Irish professional golfer who became the youngest player to reach €10 million in European T…
Irish
Shane Lowry
Professional Golfer
Irish professional golfer known for winning The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and repr…
🚴 Cycling
🏉 Rugby Union
Irish
Brian O'Driscoll
Centre
Ireland's greatest rugby player — a centre of exceptional intelligence and finishing ability.…
Irish
Bundee Aki
Centre
Irish centre of New Zealand heritage whose powerful running, reliable defence and important try-scor…
Irish
Hugo Keenan
Fullback
Irish fullback whose outstanding aerial skills, reliable defending and growing attacking confidence …
Irish
James Lowe
Winger
Irish winger of New Zealand origin whose pace, footwork and ability to finish in the corner have add…
Irish
Jenny Murphy
Centre
Ireland's most celebrated women's rugby player of the modern era — a centre of exceptional pace and …
Irish
Jonathan Sexton
Fly-half
Ireland's most decorated player and record points scorer, whose leadership through Ireland's best ev…
Irish
Keith Wood
Hooker
Ireland hooker and one of the most dynamic and skilful forwards the Lions have ever had, whose bald …
Irish
Paul O'Connell
Lock
Ireland lock and one of the most commanding lineout operators in rugby history, whose leadership, ex…
Irish
Peter O'Mahony
Flanker
Irish captain and flanker whose ferocious physicality, outstanding leadership and ability to excel i…
Irish
Ronan O'Gara
Fly-half
Ireland fly-half and record points scorer for Munster, whose precision kicking, clever game manageme…
Irish
Tadhg Furlong
Prop
Irish tighthead prop widely regarded as the world's best player in that position, whose exceptional …
Irish
Tommy Bowe
Winger
Ireland winger whose powerful running, reliable try-scoring and important Lions contributions made h…
Irish
Willie John McBride
Lock
Five British Lions tours and the captain of the unbeaten 1974 Lions — Willie John McBride is the mos…
🎱 Snooker
Northern Irish
Alex Higgins
Professional Snooker Player
Northern Irish snooker player known as 'The Hurricane' for his fast, attacking style. Two-time World…
Northern Irish
Dennis Taylor
Professional Snooker Player
Northern Irish professional snooker player famous for his 1985 World Championship victory over Steve…
Irish
Ken Doherty
Professional Snooker Player
Irish professional snooker player who won the 1997 World Championship and Masters, reaching world nu…
🎯 Darts
Northern Irish
Brendan Dolan
Professional Darts Player
Northern Irish professional darts player known for being the first to hit a nine-dart finish at the …
Northern Irish
Daryl Gurney
Professional Darts Player
Northern Irish professional darts player known for winning the 2017 UK Open and World Grand Prix, re…
Northern Irish
Josh Rock
Professional Darts Player
Rocksy — the Northern Irish prodigy who became one of the youngest PDC ranking event winners in hist…
🏇 Horse Racing
Irish
Aidan O'Brien
Trainer
Irish thoroughbred racehorse trainer widely regarded as one of the greatest trainers in racing histo…
Northern Irish
AP McCoy
National Hunt Jockey
Northern Irish jump jockey who became the most successful National Hunt jockey in history with over …
Irish
Best Mate
Racehorse
Irish-bred National Hunt racehorse who dominated steeplechasing in the early 2000s, winning three co…
Irish
Gordon Elliott
Trainer
Irish National Hunt horse racing trainer who became one of Ireland's most successful trainers, winni…
Irish
Katie Walsh
National Hunt Jockey
Irish professional jockey who became the most successful female jockey in British and Irish National…
Irish
Kieren Fallon
Flat Jockey
Irish champion jockey who dominated British flat racing in the 2000s, winning six Champion Jockey ti…
Irish
Mick Fitzgerald
Jump Jockey
Grand National winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup champion — Mick Fitzgerald was one of the most stylish…
Irish
Mick Kinane
Flat Jockey
Irish champion jockey widely regarded as one of the greatest flat racing riders of all time, with ov…
Irish
Nina Carberry
National Hunt Jockey
Irish National Hunt jockey who became one of the most successful female riders in horse racing histo…
Irish
Paul Townend
Jump Jockey
Irish Champion Jump Jockey who has dominated National Hunt racing, winning six consecutive Irish Cha…
Irish
Rachael Blackmore
National Hunt Jockey
Irish jump jockey who made history as the first female to win the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold…
Irish
Ruby Walsh
Jump Jockey
Irish champion jockey who dominated National Hunt racing with a record 59 Cheltenham Festival wins a…
Irish
Sea The Stars
Racehorse
Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved a perfect undefeated career, winning six Group 1 races in …
Irish
Tiger Roll
Racehorse
Irish thoroughbred racehorse who became the first horse since Red Rum to win consecutive Grand Natio…
Northern Irish
Tony McCoy
Jump Jockey
Northern Irish champion jump jockey who dominated National Hunt racing for two decades, winning 20 c…
Irish
Willie Mullins
Trainer
Irish racehorse trainer, one of the most successful National Hunt trainers in history with multiple …