The winners of this year’s RTÉ Sport Awards were announced tonight on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player during a ceremony which looked back on the year in Irish sport.

Derryman James McClean’s popularity with the Irish sporting public was confirmed as the Republic of Ireland and West Brom winger was voted the RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year.

The Republic of Ireland’s @JamesMcC_14 has been voted RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year #rtesportawards pic.twitter.com/nHSAfjAys2 — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 16, 2017

After a record-breaking 2017 in which he set a new world record by training 26 Group 1 winners in one calendar year Aidan O’Brien was named RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year.

This year a brand-new category, the RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year Award, was inaugurated and the first winner was announced as Mona McSharry, the 17-year-old Sligo native who swam her way into the history books as she claimed gold in the World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.

As well as acknowledging this year’s sporting achievements, the RTÉ Sport Awards recognised the 20th anniversary of his magnificent World Snooker Championship win as Ken Doherty was honoured with the Hall of Fame Award.

The highly-coveted RTÉ Sport Team of the Year Award was voted for by the viewing public and this year’s award went to the Irish showjumping team, who won European team gold in Gothenburg.

The RTÉ Sport Awards were presented by RTÉ’s Darragh Maloney and Joanne Cantwell, and also featured a host of well-known Irish sports stars and analysts reflecting on the Irish sporting year that was.