Take a look at the most read stories on RTÉ.ie/sport with the loss of many great names associated with Irish sport and some good and bad moments for the country in individual and team events.
1) Katie Taylor is the champion of the world
Katie Taylor claimed her first world professional title. It wasn’t quite the emotional moment of the Olympic gold but it still mattered plenty to the Irish public as the Bray woman claimed the title against Anahi Esther Sanchez in Cardiff on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title defence.
2) RTÉ sports great Jimmy Magee passes away
Tributes were paid to the broadcaster after his sad passing in September. "It’s hard to put it into words, the man meant an inordinate amount to so many people," RTÉ Sport head Ryle Nugent said.
3) Super 8 system to replace football quarter-finals
It was a big day for Gaelic Games as a change of format to the football championship came to pass at Congress. "Croke Park had mounted a major campaign to get these motions through congress and it clearly paid off", as Peter Sweeney reported.
4) Galway hurling great Tony Keady passes away aged 53
The brilliant Tribesmen hurler died after taking ill just days after watching his county see off Tipperary and Kilkenny to reach the senior and minor finals. RTÉ hurling analyst Cyril Farrell said the news was hard to take in.
5) O'Mahony named as Lions captain for New Zealand clash
The Munster flanker received the honour as one of four Irish players named in the first Test. "Peter captained the side against the Maori All Blacks and has done a good job," was the verdict from his head coach Warren Gatland.
6) World Cup play-off draw: When, where and who?
It was the morning after the Republic of Ireland beat Wales to reach the play-offs for the World Cup. We allowed ourselves to believe. Denmark could be a good draw, you know.
7) Big guns avoid each other in hurling qualifiers
Kilkenny, Waterford and Limerick were part of a hurling draw that had an unusual amount of strong hurling counties, while there was also four football fixtures to be decided.
8) Floyd Mayweather beats Conor McGregor in 10th-round TKO
The clash of two stars dominated headlines in August. With the fight taking place in the early hours, there was huge interest in as Mayweather knocked out McGregor in the 10th round. "The biggest fight in combat sports history was no disappointment, but it didn't provide fireworks worthy of all the build-up, anticipation and of course all that money," Eoin Weldon reported from Las Vegas.
9) Donegal coach Pat Shovelin passes away aged 41
The sad news of Pat Shovelin's death saw Donegal GAA remember "a genuine soul who will never be forgotten". Shovelin was part of the backroom team under Jim McGuinnes during their All-Ireland win.
10) James McClean secures play-off spot in famous away win
Ireland were roared on by a vocal and passionate travelling support and had to defend with their lives to hang on for 38 minutes of relentless Welsh pressure to progress, as Ed Leahy wrote. And eventually came a very famous goal.
This top 10 list excludes live blogs across RTÉ.ie/sport. Here are the 10 most read from the past year.
Most read live blogs:
1) Football and Hurling drama – Waterford knock out Kilkenny
2) World Cup play-off draw
3) Dublin win the All-Ireland Football final
4) Mayo and Tipperary advance in another thrilling day of qualifiers
5) Conor McGregor v Floyd Mayweather
6 Republic of Ireland v Denmark second leg
7) Allianz Football League final round updates
8) All-Ireland Football Championship quarter-finals part 1
9) All-Ireland Football Championship quarter-finals part 2
10) Galway win the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final
Thanks for reading
