The seven-person shortlist for the RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year has been revealed.
The 2023 nominees include a retiring Irish rugby great, a soccer star who continues to define what a captain should be, a boxer who has again taken the sport to new heights, the hurler of the year, a jockey with the Midas touch, and world champions in gymnastics and para-swimming.
Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney will present the RTÉ Sport Awards 2023 live from Studio 4 in RTÉ on Saturday 16 December.
The Awards being handed out on the night live on RTÉ One in front of an audience of Irish sports stars include RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year, RTÉ Sport Team of the Year, RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year and RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year.
The winners will be selected by an independent panel of expert judges from across the Irish sporting media and performance world.
RTÉ Sport Awards Sportsperson of the Year nominees:
Johnny Sexton
While the Leinster and Ireland great may not have had the fairytale send-off he dreamed off, there was still plenty to celebrate in his retirement year.
Sexton captained Ireland to a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023, helped them to a famous victory over South Africa and took Leinster to the final of the Champions Cup before bringing the curtain down on a glittering career.
Katie McCabe
Katie McCabe led the Republic of Ireland women's team to their first major finals after they qualified for the 2023 World Cup before she became the first ever Irish women to score at the tournament. She also played a starring role in Ireland's successful Nations League campaign, gaining promotion with a 100% record.
She brought her appearances in an Arsenal shirt up to the 200 mark and played a key role for the Gunners as they won the Women's League Cup and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Katie Taylor
Just when you start to think that Katie Taylor has nothing left to accomplish in the sport of boxing, she somehow finds another level to break new ground and set another landmark achievement.
Taking a late decision to step up another weight level for an undisputed world title at a second weight level, Taylor first fought champion Chantelle Cameron in May when she narrowly lost by a majority decision. Not to be denied, the Bray bomber won the rematch with Cameron last month to become a two-weight undisputed champion.
Rhys McClenaghan
At the tender age of 24, Rhys McClenaghan became a back-to-back world champion after claiming the gold medal in the pommel horse event at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. The Irish Olympian booked his place at the 2024 Paris games in the process.
McClenaghan also won gold on the European stage, winning his second European Championship pommel horse gold.
Paul Townend
2023 has been a banner year for Paul Townend who further cemented his status as a racing great.
Winning his third Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Galopin Des Champs, Townend lit up Cheltenham with wins in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Arkle. He also steered Galopin Des Champs to Irish Gold Cup glory and claimed his sixth Champion Jockey title.
Róisín Ní Riain
Paralympic swimmer Róisín Ní Riain has become such a familiar feature on the podium that it's easy to forget she's still on 18-years-old.
The Limerick swimmer already has the experience of the Tokyo Paralympics in her pocket and secured her place in next summers Paris Games by winning gold and silver at this years Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, all while balancing her leaving cert with her training.
Aaron Gillane
Aaron Gillane continues to do his bit to keep Limerick's trophy cabinet makers gainfully employed.
The right corner-forward helped his county to their fourth consecutive All-Ireland title, their fifth consecutive Munster crown, was personally named on the All-Stars team for the fourth year in a row and for the first time was named the GAA-GPA All-Star Hurler of the Year. Not a bad 2023 all things considered.
