Irish Sports Legends
The greatest irish sports people of all time — across 12 sports.
⚽ Football
Northern Irish
Danny Blanchflower
Midfielder
Northern Irish footballer who captained Tottenham Hotspur to the first 20th-century League and FA…
Northern Irish
George Best
Forward
Manchester United's mercurial genius — European Footballer of the Year 1968 and arguably the most…
Irish
John Aldridge
Centre Forward
Republic of Ireland legend and Liverpool striker who scored 330 professional goals — one of the…
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…
Irish
Robbie Keane
Forward
Republic of Ireland's all-time leading scorer and one of the most consistent strikers to have…
Irish
Roy Keane
Central Midfielder
Irish footballer and Manchester United captain known for his aggressive midfield play, leadership,…
⛳ Golf
Northern Irish
Darren Clarke
Professional Golfer
A Northern Irish golfer who won The Open Championship in 2011 and captained Europe's 2016 Ryder Cup…
Northern Irish
Graeme McDowell
Professional Golfer
Graeme McDowell is a Northern Irish golfer best known for ending a 40-year European drought at the…
Irish
Padraig Harrington
Professional Golfer
Irish golfer who reached world No.3, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2024, and…
Northern Irish
Rory McIlroy
Professional Golfer
A dominant multiple major champion from Northern Ireland, McIlroy became the sixth man ever to…
Irish
Shane Lowry
Professional Golfer
Irish golfer who won his maiden major at the 2019 Open Championship and has represented Europe in…
🚴 Cycling
Irish
Sean Kelly
Road Cyclist (Classics/All-rounder)
One of the most versatile riders in history, dominating one-day Classics and stage races through…
Irish
Stephen Roche
Road Cyclist
Irish road cyclist who in 1987 became only the second man in history (after Eddy Merckx) to win the…
🏉 Rugby Union
Irish
Brian O'Driscoll
Centre
Brian O'Driscoll is regarded as one of the greatest centres in rugby history, Ireland's record…
Irish
Bundee Aki
Centre
Bundee Aki is a New Zealand-born Ireland international centre known for his physical, direct…
Irish
Hugo Keenan
Fullback
Hugo Keenan is an Ireland fullback who scored the decisive late try that sealed the British & Irish…
Irish
James Lowe
Winger
James Lowe is a New Zealand-born winger who qualified for Ireland on residency and became a…
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
Jonathan Sexton is Ireland's record cap-holder and points scorer at fly-half, named World Rugby…
Irish
Keith Wood
Hooker
Keith Wood was an Irish hooker and Lions captain named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2001,…
Irish
Paul O'Connell
Lock
Paul O'Connell was one of the most respected leaders in world rugby, captaining Ireland and touring…
Irish
Peter O'Mahony
Flanker
Peter O'Mahony is a combative Irish back-rower and long-time Munster captain who has been a…
Irish
Ronan O'Gara
Fly-half
Ronan O'Gara was Ireland's long-time first-choice fly-half and finished his career as the country's…
Irish
Tadhg Furlong
Prop
Tadhg Furlong is regarded as one of the best tighthead props in world rugby, a mainstay of…
Irish
Tommy Bowe
Winger
Tommy Bowe was a prolific Ireland winger who was the leading try scorer on the British & Irish…
Irish
Willie John McBride
Lock
Willie John McBride was an Irish lock who became a Lions legend, captaining the famous unbeaten…
Irish
Gordon D'Arcy
Centre
Gordon D'Arcy was a skillful Ireland centre who formed a long-standing midfield partnership with…
Irish
Shane Horgan
Wing / Centre
Shane Horgan was a versatile Ireland back who scored crucial tries during Ireland's successful Six…
🎱 Snooker
Northern Irish
Alex Higgins
Professional Snooker Player
Northern Irish snooker player known as 'The Hurricane' for his fast, attacking style. Two-time…
Northern Irish
Dennis Taylor
Professional Snooker Player
Northern Irish professional snooker player famous for his 1985 World Championship victory over…
Irish
Ken Doherty
Professional Snooker Player
Irish professional snooker player who won the 1997 World Championship and Masters, reaching world…
🎯 Darts
Northern Irish
Brendan Dolan
Professional Darts Player
Brendan "The History Maker" Dolan is a Northern Irish darts player famed for hitting the first-ever…
Northern Irish
Daryl Gurney
Professional Darts Player
Daryl Gurney is a Northern Irish professional darts player nicknamed "Superchin" who won the 2017…
Northern Irish
Josh Rock
Professional Darts Player
Josh Rock, nicknamed "Rocky," is a Northern Irish professional darts player known for his rapid…
🏇 Horse Racing
Irish
Aidan O'Brien
Trainer
Irish thoroughbred racehorse trainer widely regarded as one of the greatest trainers in racing…
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…
Irish
Gordon Elliott
Trainer
Irish National Hunt horse racing trainer who became one of Ireland's most successful trainers,…
Irish
Katie Walsh
National Hunt Jockey
Irish professional jockey who became the most successful female jockey in British and Irish…
Irish
Kieren Fallon
Flat Jockey
Irish champion jockey who dominated British flat racing in the 2000s, winning six Champion Jockey…
Irish
Mick Fitzgerald
Jump Jockey
Grand National winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup champion — Mick Fitzgerald was one of the most…
Irish
Mick Kinane
Flat Jockey
Irish champion jockey widely regarded as one of the greatest flat racing riders of all time, with…
Irish
Nina Carberry
National Hunt Jockey
Irish National Hunt jockey who became one of the most successful female riders in horse racing…
Irish
Paul Townend
Jump Jockey
Irish Champion Jump Jockey who has dominated National Hunt racing, winning six consecutive Irish…
Irish
Rachael Blackmore
National Hunt Jockey
Irish jump jockey who made history as the first female to win the Grand National and Cheltenham…
Irish
Ruby Walsh
Jump Jockey
Irish champion jockey who dominated National Hunt racing with a record 59 Cheltenham Festival wins…
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…
Irish
Willie Mullins
Trainer
Irish racehorse trainer, one of the most successful National Hunt trainers in history with multiple…
Irish
Vincent O'Brien
Trainer
Irish trainer voted the greatest figure in horse racing history, who trained six Epsom Derby…
Irish
Arkle
Racehorse
Irish-bred steeplechaser nicknamed 'Himself,' widely regarded as the greatest jumps horse in…