Updated at 18.41
1. Niamh Briggs
Why she’s on the list: A key member of the Irish women’s rugby team since making her debut in 2008, the 31-year-old fullback was an integral part of the Irish Women’s team’s first-ever Six Nations triumph in 2013, while performing strongly in their 2015 success to boot. She was also nominated for IRB World Player of the Year in 2014, having impressed at the World Cup.
2. Annalise Murphy
Why she’s on the list: Winner of 2013 European Championships, in addition to securing a highly impressive fourth place at the 2012 Olympics, she will be aiming to put in a similarly strong performance in Rio later this year.
3. Katie Taylor
Why she’s on the list: An Olympic gold medal winner, in addition to numerous other achievements, Taylor’s feats in women’s boxing are unparalleled.
4. Sinéad Jennings
Why she’s on the list: A world champion rower who also was part of lightweight women’s double scull along with Claire Lambe, qualifying for the Rio Olympics last August.
5. Cora Staunton
Why she’s on the list: Consistently Mayo’s star player, Staunton has an incredible 10 All-Star awards over the course of 22 seasons.
6. Kelly Proper
Why she’s on the list: An accomplished athlete in both the long jump and the 200m, Proper last year represented Ireland at the World Championships in Beijing.
7. Alison Miller
Why she’s on the list: Another important member of the Irish side, and a latecomer to rugby, having previously excelled at collegiate athletics, Miller has been key to the Irish Women’s team’s various successes in recent years.
8. Aileen Reid
Why she’s on the list: An Olympian and former medal winner at the World University Cross Country championships, Reid has featured in the top 10 of the world rankings in addition to claiming a silver medal at the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final in 2013.
9. Fionnuala McCormack
Why she’s on the list: A gold medallist at both the 2011 and 2012 European Cross Country Championships, who also represented Ireland in the steeplechase at the 2008 Olympics, McCormack last year finished 13th in the Chicago Marathon and will be hoping to produce a similarly stellar display at the Rio Olympics later this year.
10. Stephanie Roche
Why she’s on the list: A star with the Irish team and Puskas Award nominee, Roche currently plays for Sunderland, while her famous goal for Peamount United against Wexford Youths has done wonders for the profile of women’s soccer in Ireland.
11. Emma Byrne
Why she’s on the list: A key team member for both Arsenal and Ireland for many years now, 36-year-old Byrne is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the women’s game.
12. Jessie Barr
Why she’s on the list: A 400m hurdler who represented Ireland in the women’s relay at the London Olympics, despite recent injury troubles, 26-year-old Barr will be hoping to be on the plane to Rio this summer for her second successive Olympics.
13. Chloe Magee
Why she’s on the list: The first-ever Irish woman to win a badminton match at the Olympics, she competed both in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and the Donegal native is odds-on to feature again this year both in the ladies singles and mixed doubles (with her similarly talented brother Sam).
14. Roseanne Galligan
Why she’s on the list: A 1500m and the 800m athlete who broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s 19-year-old national record in the latter event at the London Diamond League Anniversary Games in 2013. The 28-year-old has also represented Ireland at a number of European and World Championship events.
15. Hannah Craig
Why she’s on the list: A slalom canoer who finished 10th in the final of the K-1 event at the London Olympics, becoming the first Irish woman to do so in the process. She’ll be hoping to create more history in Rio this summer.
16. Caroline Ryan
Why she’s on the list: Won Ireland’s first medal at the 2012 senior track cycling world championship since 1897, she has also triumphed three times in the Irish Elite Time Trials. Ryan hopes to compete in Rio this summer but had a setback when she broke her collarbone after suffering a bad fall at the Track Cycling World Championships in London recently.
17. Lisa Kearney
Why she’s on the list: A judo star who represented Ireland at the London Olympics, and claimed bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Kearney sadly won’t be emulating her achievement in Rio this summer after a knee injury put paid to her hopes of competing.
18. Orla Barry
Why she’s on the list: An acclaimed discus thrower who claimed a bronze medal in the women’s shot put at the 2012 Paralympics, she also won bronze at the Paralympic World Championships last October.
19. Natalya Coyle
Why she’s on the list: The 25-year-old athlete competed in the modern pentathlon at the 2012 Olympics, while also finishing 11th at the recent European pentathlon championships. A busy year ahead will hopefully involve competing at Rio depending on performances in the run-up to this summer’s big event.
20. Ellen Keane
Why she’s on the list: Won bronze at the 2013 and 2015 Paralympic Swimming World Championships in the 100m Breaststroke, as well as representing Ireland at the summer paralympics in 2012.
21. Sanita Puspure
Why she’s on the list: Of Latvian descent, Puspure gained Irish nationality in 2011, representing Ireland at the London Olympics and becoming their first female single sculler since the 1980 Games in the process. She finished fourth at the World Championships in 2014 and claimed a silver medal in the European Championships in the same year.
22. Fiona Doyle
Why she’s on the list: The first Irish swimmer to seal a spot at the Rio Olympics after reaching the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke at the World University Games last July, she is considered one of the leading talents in the sport in the country.
23. Kate Kelly
Why she’s on the list: Considered one of Ireland’s top camogie players, the Wexford star has won five All-Star awards in total.
24. Katie-George Dunlevy
Why she’s on the list: A London 2012 Paralympic cyclist, Dunlevy also earned a silver medal at the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in 2014 and just missed out on a bronze at the same event last year.
25. Valerie Mulcahy
Why she’s on the list: The talented Cork footballer has won an incredible nine All-Ireland titles in total, she also made history last year when she became the first high-profile ladies GAA star to come out publicly.
26. Sycerika McMahon
Why she’s on the list: The youngest Irish medal winner ever at a major event in swimming after winning silver at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships in the 50m breastroke, she also represented Ireland at the 2012 Olympics and won bronze at the 2012 European Short Course Swimming Championships. Her form in recent years has taken a dip but she will be hoping to regain it in time for the Olympics this summer.
27. Lizzie Colvin
Why she’s on the list: A long-time star of the Irish Women’s hockey team, Colvin won her 100th cap for her country back in May.
28. Ais Daly
Why she’s on the list: Ireland’s leading female MMA star, Daly has been a professional in the sport since 2007 and made it to the quarter-finals in the Ultimate Fighter reality TV series in 2014.
29. Tori Pena
Why she’s on the list: The California native represented Ireland in pole-vaulting at the 2012 Olympics and is hoping to feature at the Rio Games this summer.
30. Katie McCabe
Why she’s on the list: One of the star players in the Ireland Women’s U19 Team that got to the semi-finals of the European U19 Championship in 2014, McCabe recently signed for Arsenal and is widely considered to be one of the best young female footballers in the country.
31. Briege Corkery
Why she’s on the list: The dual star has won 16 All-Ireland titles in camogie and football combined after once again triumphing in both codes last year.
32. Katie Walsh
Why she’s on the list: Coming from a big horse-racing family with her father Ted and brother Ruby also big names in the sport, Katie became only the third female jockey to win the Irish Grand National in April 2015.
33. Eimear Mullan
Why she’s on the list: One of the top triathletes in the country, Mullan has set an Irish record for the Ironman and was named athlete of the year at the 2014 Triathlon Ireland Awards.
34. Lizzie Lee
Why she’s on the list: Considered a strong contender for Rio, Lizzie Lee is inside the qualifying standard despite only taking up competitive athletics at the age of 26. She also won a gold medal at the 2012 European Cross Country Championships.
35. Stephanie Meadow
Why she’s on the list: The Antrim native has opted to represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics, while the highlight of her career so far has undoubtedly been her incredible third-place finish at the US Open.
36. Ciara Everard
Why she’s on the list: The 25-year-old Kilkenny-born athlete is the Irish indoor record holder for 800m and has starred at several European and World Championships.
37. Leona Maguire
Why she’s on the list: Involved in the sport at a serious level since the age of nine, Maguire showed how far she has progressed by topping women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking last May and retained her spot there in the latest rankings released last month.
38. Nina Carberry
Why she’s on the list: One of the top female jockeys in the country, her list of achievements includes winning the Irish Grand National in 2011 and setting the record for a female jockey at the Grand National on more than one occasion, competing in the event a record five times.
39. Maria McCambridge
Why she’s on the list: Still going strong at 40, the long-distance runner represented her country at the 2004 Olympics and has also competed in several outdoor and indoor World Championships.
40. Rena Buckley
Why she’s on the list: The dual star has won several All-Ireland titles with Cork and was recognised for her achievements with a nomination for RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for 2015.
41. Sophie Spence
Why she’s on the list: Considered one of Irish Women’s Rugby’s brightest talents, Spence helped her country win the Six Nations last year and received a nomination for World Women’s Rugby Player of the Year as a result.
42. Ciara Mageean
Why she’s on the list: The 23-year-old UCD student recently broke the Irish indoor 1500m record and has achieved the qualifying standard for the Rio Olympics.
Who else should be on the list? Let us know in the comments section below.
A version of this piece was originally published on 8 March, 2014
To be fair Rena Buckley has 16 All Ireland medals between Gaelic football & Camogie stating she has won “several” All Ireland’s does not convey the magnitude of her achievements she has won the same amount of medals as Briege Corkery
Stephanie Roche doesn’t even make the irish team and should not be on this list
No room for kieran donnachy?? A real whinging oul one
Christina McMahon fights in Mexico on Saturday for the Superfly Champion of the world title. Definitely deserves a place on this list.
Also, sorry, I don’t know who Annalise Murphy is but from your article I’m not exactly sure what sport she plays.
One of the worlds top sailors
What about Easky Britton? ..5 times Irish surf champ and also first Irish woman to ever surf in Iran
First Irish woman to surf in Iran?!?!? That hotbed of surfing
Unreal how there was exactly 42 of them!
Nina Carberry at 38. I just hope this list is in no particular order. Because If it is. That’s disgraceful
You’re right in suspecting it’s in no particular order, Michael.
Mick, riding a horse isn’t a sport. The horse does all the work. She shouldn’t be there.
Gary – explain how when a horse is jockey less after a fall that horse almost never wins? It’s cos the jockey is capable of getting more from a horse once it becomes tired, ridiculous comment.
Yeah, hitting a horse with a whip to make it run faster really does mark someone out as a top sportsperson
Missed out on sisters Isobel and Cecilia Joyce from the Irish Cricket Team – currently competing at the World T20 Championships
Agreed and Kim Garth
I’m confused by the title. Are they currently Irish or what? Makes my head hurt. Briggs is a legend!!!
They’re currently competing. Hence the absence of the retired likes of Sonia O’Sullivan et al.
What about Pauline Curley?
Maybe use the key word competing the next time. It’d be a bit clearer.
Ah come on…current 2 in a row World Handball Champion Aisling Reilly not on this list.
Gráinne Doyle. Basketball. Senior League & cup double, twice with . Defeating Katie Taylor and others to 2014 her.ie sports woman of the year.
Ah lads, we know the Rugby lads are the media darlings but I see now it extending to the ladies. No doubt the ladies game has come on in a big way but it was coming from a very very low base. Kerry ladies footballer Louise Galvin made the 6 nations squad a few years back after playing a handful rugby of games and taking it up some time in her 20′s. That gives an indication of the standard.
Talking the talk and about your mental strength on the RTE chat shows doesn’t make you the greatest athlete. There are 20 ladies playing gaelic and soccer for every one playing rugby. The ladies GAA scene is highly competitive at club and county level with huge number participating. Does Brige Corkery have to get a chat show appearance to brag about how professional and mentally tough she is to get recognition? All she cares about is competing and winning.
It’s more laughable to put Briggs ahead of double European cross country champion Fionnuala McCormack or Katie Taylor really puts the tin had on this list.
The odds of top athletes being in women’s rugby are minuscule. I have no problem with rugby, I’ve played it before the media started fawning over it we just need a bit of prospective here.
The highest placed ladies soccer player is a lady who got an amazing goal but can’t make the Irish team. Those keeping her out of the team don’t feature.
Such a list should be comprised based on substance not hype. This is all about the hype.
Should read Gráinne Dwyer
Paul,how could you forget this girl.Won leagues,cups,player of the year,fans player of the year,coaches player of the year,players player of the year,and still only 22.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/video-denise-osullivan-hailed-as-a-hometown-star-at-evening-echo-awards-311232.html
I’m sure there are plenty of similarly talented athletes not mentioned above, Padraig. Think of the list as a conversation starter rather than a definitive compilation of the best female athletes in Ireland.
What about the women’s Irish darts team? Some of those lads are seriously talented
I’ve heard of 7 of them.
Ah lads! Aisling Reilly has to make this list! Irish/World number 1 female handballer, 2 time senior world champion and who knows how many Senior All Ireland titles!
She’d have more all Ireland medals than they have in Kerry!
Has to be on the list.
What about Cathy Gannon……possibly the only professional female jockey were have
What about Jenny Egan from Canoeing-European Bronze Medalist; 4th place at European Games Baku; 6th place at World championships; 4th at World Marathon championships-all in the 2015 season…..who complied this list!!!??
Judy Reynolds has broken five Irish records in dressage over the last year. At the weekend she broke 2 of them again to qualify a place for Ireland in the 2016 Olympic Games.
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/horse-sport-ireland-await-verdict-on-rio-places-for-individual-riders-1.2563042
prob worth inclusion.
Boxer Christina Mc Mahon should be listed! FACT
The Irish Women’s cricket team currently in India at T20 World Cup Finals?
Pity for them that none of them would get near some of the worst male athletes in the world in the same sports.
Equestrian sport is the only Olympic discipline where males and females compete in the same classes on the horses they’ve worked their asses off to train to that level.
This list is incredibley biased and shows a complete lack of knowledge of women in sport. In this year Ireland will send a full team to the European Championships in Norway for weightlifting. The standard is incredible with some Olympic prospects for the first time in history and none of these phenomenal athletes get a look in? What about 3 x Irelands fittest woman who represented Ireland at the Crossfit games.
Bit harsh there Brendan. I would disagree with it being “incredibly biased”. It’s decently accurate including athletes from a vast array of different disciplines. Granted there are omissions, but it would seem the author wants feedback and is willing to make amendments. There was a time that female athletes wouldn’t have been thought of for such a post! I’m glad they’re getting deserved publicity.
Haha ah yes the famous “crossfit athletes”!
What about Pitch & Putt? Chrissie Byrne and Marion Courtney
Pitch & putt lmao
Haha ah yes the famous “crossfit athletes”!
What about that conor mcgregor bitch?
Ciara Mageen 42nd and well behind a number of other athletes. You must be joking. Did anyone actually check the Rio Olympic qualified list as a starting point?
How about Geraldine Finnagen she holds more irish records in the Master then any other person. And has also won Master world titles currently rant 6th in the world for the pethalon?
Megan Connolly! A young irish sportstar doing her country proud!