It was a rollercoaster year for the Republic of Ireland international teams - laced with difficult moments, graced with a few that will live long in the memory.
After a spell of public apathy, the men's team's stunning win in Hungary led to a media frenzy that peaked with Troy Parrott telling us what he ordered in KFC.
Zingers and clangers, setbacks and revivals, here's how we viewed the year that was.
THE HIGHS...
1. The Portugal-Hungary double whammy
The Godfather Parts I and II of international windows. The remarkably straightforward 2-0 defeat of Portugal in Dublin could be somewhat explained away by the visitors' comfort at the top of the group, and the petulance of Cristiano Ronaldo (perfectly cast as the villain of the piece). But that extraordinary climax in Budapest remains difficult to articulate. Troy Parrott's injury-time winner dominated the national conversation for a fortnight; only Páidí from The Traitors united the country so emphatically. A truly iconic sporting moment.
2. If you're Abbie and you know it...
Before Troy, there was Abbie. In October, the fleet-footed Crystal Palace winger was summoned from the bench 61 minutes into the Republic of Ireland's Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Belgium in Leuven. The Girls in Green were two down on the night (it was 4-4 on aggregate) but Larkin had her finest moment in green to win it, lifting an impudent finish over Nicky Evrard in stoppage time. The victory enhanced Ireland's seeding for World Cup qualification - we may only appreciate its full significance in a year's time.
3. The boys done good
Over in Qatar, Colin O'Brien's Republic of Ireland Under-17s embarked on an adventure. Having qualified for a World Cup at that age grade for the first time, the Young Boys in Green acquitted themselves brilliantly, topping their group, beating Canada on penalties in the last 32 before losing to a polished Switzerland in the final 16. Memories made forever; and quite possibly the road towards long international careers for some of these talented teens.
4. Katie joins a special club
Not strictly an international high but Katie McCabe's Women's Champions League glory with Arsenal elevated her into a special club. She became the fourth Irishwoman to win the competition, following in the footsteps of Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy, who were part of the Gunners team that went all the way in 2007. In the men's game, Charlie Gallagher (Celtic), Shay Brennan (Manchester United), Tony Dunne (Manchester United), Steve Heighway (Liverpool), Mark Lawrenson (Liverpool), Ronnie Whelan (Liverpool), Michael Robinson (Liverpool), Denis Irwin (Manchester United), Roy Keane (Manchester United), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Steve Finnan (Liverpool) and Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool) all have European Cup/Champions League winner's medals on the mantelpiece.
5. The Hungarian lifeline
Two down to Hungary at the Aviva in their opening World Cup qualifier, the Republic of Ireland rallied to salvage a 2-2 draw, helped by Roland Sallai's second-half red card for a reckless lunge on Dara O'Shea. Heimer Hallgrimsson's charges would follow up this gutsy recovery with a horror show in Armenia, so it was forgotten pretty quickly, but the point in Dublin ultimately allowed the Boys in Green to dig a few fingernails into the cliff face before clawing their way back into the play-off reckoning in the final seconds of the campaign. This draw meant there was always a flicker of hope even when things looked really bleak.
... AND THE LOWS
1. Slovenia 4-0 Republic of Ireland, 25 February - Women's Nations League
The Republic of Ireland were badly scarred by the pre-Christmas Euro 2025 play-off final defeat to Wales. It cost Eileen Gleeson her job, while No 2 Colin Healy also departed in a manner so messy that it hung over the new regime for months (more about that later). Carla Ward was putting out fires from day one in that regard, but her appointment went down well, with a general anticipation that she'd bring a sense of order to things. And then came this disastrous trip to Koper. The decision to play Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan as attacking midfielders left Ireland wide open on the counter. Slovenia ran riot. It was the women's team's worst defeat in years; a reality check that forced Ward into a tactical rethink.
2. Armenia 2-1 Republic of Ireland, 9 September - Men's World Cup qualifiers
Oh it was bad; so bad that afterwards Heimir Hallgrimsson postponed scheduled contract talks with the FAI. "I don't want to be where I’m not wanted," he said. Eduard Spertsyan and Grant-Leon Ranos goals sank an abject Irish side flattered by the scoreline, Evan Ferguson's effort giving the result a coat of gloss. What's that old lyric by indie-rock band James? 'If I hadn't seen such riches I could live with being poor'. This was the opposite. If it hadn't been so wretched, the riches of Budapest wouldn't have felt so audaciously serene.
3. Job cuts and uncertainty at the FAI
Back in August, the announcement of the FAI's "significant transformation programme" hit like a sledgehammer for many of those working at the game's coal face. A trimming of the work force means the association is losing vast experience and knowhow. In November Colin O'Brien led the Ireland U-17s to the last 16 of the World Cup but is now reportedly set to move on, as are Tom Mohan and Dave Connell, coaches who've served underage football here for years. Many others have gone too, and the fabric of the game in this country will be damaged by their absence.
4. The U-21s' collapse in Andorra
Jim Crawford is desperate to get the U-21s to a first ever Euros having come so close in the past, but the November display in Andorra seriously undermined that ambition with this crop. Ireland had acquitted themselves well in defeat to England a few days previously, however they were all at sea in a 4-0 loss here. Irish fans were still buzzing after Parrott's Hungary hat-trick; this, unfortunately, was a rough comedown. Ireland have to wait until March to try and put it right when they host Moldova and then travel to Kazakhstan.
5. Colin Healy's exit from the Ireland women's setup
A painful split that made a lot of people angry. Healy claimed he'd been given assurances by the FAI that he'd be kept in his job as Republic of Ireland women's assistant no matter how the Euro 2025 play-offs went. In the wake of a gut-wrenching loss to Wales, he was shown the door along with boss Eileen Gleeson. The fallout lingered for ages. Denise O'Sullivan and Katie McCabe criticised the manner in which Healy's exit was handled, while Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley said his treatment was "disgraceful". Healy would later be appointed manager at Men's First Division outfit Kerry FC.
