McIlroy named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

Rory McIlroy has been named the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year 2014. The Holywood golfer took the top prize at last night’s award ceremony.

Mon, 22 Dec, 2014 - 10:03

Grainne McGuinness

Rory McIlroy has been named the RTÉ Sport Person of the Year 2014. The Holywood golfer took the top prize at last night’s award ceremony.

McIlroy has had a stellar year, winning two majors, the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and PGA Championship at Valhalla, and was a crucial part of the winning Europe team at the Ryder Cup.

There were complaints when he was named as runner-up to Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in the BBC Sportsperson of the Year awards last week, but he took top billing last night in the Irish awards.

Difference a week makes @McIlroyRory pic.twitter.com/b4nmEax6Qb
— Mark Kenneally (@markk42k) December 21, 2014

The Cork Ladies Gaelic Football team won Team of the Year, becoming the first women's team ever to win the award. In September the side won a phenomenal ninth All-Ireland title in the space of ten years.

DELIGHTED! About time #Cork got the recognition they deserve! Nearly as good as winning All-Ireland! #RTEsportawards pic.twitter.com/KOGdWokzo7
— Mary White (She/Her) (@mary_white33) December 21, 2014

Cork ladies footballers & Rory McIlroy the big winners at RTE Sports awards! pic.twitter.com/UhvVqMKFk0
— Jacqui Hurley (@jacquihurley) December 21, 2014

Manager of the year went to Ireland rugby coach Joe Schmidt. Schmidt steered Ireland to Six Nations victory in March and also oversaw an unbeaten November series, where victories over South Africa, Georgia and Australia saw Ireland climb to third in the world rankings, an all-time high.