Rhys McClenaghan caps memorable year with RTÉ's Sportsperson of the Year award

Andy Farrell won the manager award while Limerick's hurlers earned the team prize. 

TOP PRIZE: In attendance during the RTÉ Sports Awards 2023 is RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year, Irish World and European champion gymnast, Rhys McClenaghan. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan has been named Sportsperson of the Year at the RTÉ Sport Awards. 

After a year in which he became a back-to-back world champion, McClenaghan took the final prize of the evening in Donnybrook. 

“This means the world to me,” he said. “Thank you so much.”

“I can’t believe I’m holding this in my hands. Amazing.” 

He added: “I want to thank all of the nominees for this award for inspiring me and every Irish athlete at the highest level.”

Earlier, Andy Farrell was named manager of the year in recognition of a year in which his Ireland team won the Grand Slam.

Limerick's all-conquering hurlers took the team award while Brighton's teenage sensation Evan Ferguson was named RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year. 

Paralympic sprinter Jason Smyth was inducted into the RTÉ Sport Hall of Fame meanwhile

"Yet again Irish sport not only competes but dominates on a world stage," said Declan McBennett, Group Head of Sport RTÉ. 

"The scale of Irish success in a global setting is remarkable to the extent whereby we are now disappointed when our participation ends early in World Cup years, while the standards in domestic sport excel year on year."