It was a sensational year for Irish sport. There were landmark achievements in so many different sports and codes, it's hard to keep of them all.
To give an appreciation of the sporting greatness in this country, we've gone county-by-county and decided each county's best sporting achievement for 2021.
This is a varied and diverse list that captures that wide range of sporting genius in this country.
Antrim - Aidan Walsh wins Olympic bronze in boxing
3 August 2021; Aidan Walsh of Ireland with his bronze medal that he won in the men's welterweight division at the Kokugikan Arena during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Armagh - Daniel Wiffen breaks Irish 1500m record
30 July 2021; Daniel Wiffen of Ireland after the heats of the men's 1500m freestyle at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Ian MacNicol/Sportsfile
Carlow - Cliodhna Ni Shé finishes the Ladies Football Championship as top scorer
22 August 2021; Cliodhna Ni Shé of Carlow in action against Duana Coleman of Antrim during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Junior Championship Semi-Final match between Antrim and Carlow at Lannleire GFC in Dunleer, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Cavan - Leona Maguire becomes first Irishwoman to lift Solheim Cup
An early eagle for Leona Maguire! 🦅
Europe currently lead in three of the four matches out on the course.
📺 Watch the Solheim Cup live now on Sky Sports Golf! pic.twitter.com/GPtXDiGq7Y— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 6, 2021
Clare - Tony Kelly scoring 3-41 in four championship games
23 July 2021; Tony Kelly of Clare celebrates scoring a second half point during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 2 match between Clare and Cork at LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Cork - Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy win Ireland's Olympics gold medal in rowing
Here's the welcome Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan received from the rest of Team Ireland when they returned to the Olympic village after claiming gold overnight 💚🇮🇪pic.twitter.com/7UN0z8N0DS
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 29, 2021
Derry - Jason Smyth wins his sixth Paralympic gold medal
Jason Smyth wins GOLD for Ireland in the T13 100m!
He's a Paralympic champion for the sixth time.#TeamIreland #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/07JfwRxRcn— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) August 29, 2021
Donegal - Georgie Kelly named PFAI Player of the Year
This finish by Georgie Kelly is the goal of the season pic.twitter.com/qRNDFPdoS2
— Dodge (@seidodge) September 20, 2021
Down - Rhys McClenaghan becomes first Irish person to reach a gymnastic Olympics final
24 July 2021; Rhys McClenaghan of Ireland competes on the Pommel Horse in artistic gymnastics qualification at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Dublin - Kellie Harrington wins a gold medal for Ireland in boxing
'Hakuna Matata'@kelly64kg, says so pic.twitter.com/Vqa3xhkFP8
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 3, 2021
Fermanagh - Kieran McKenna becomes the youngest manager in the EFL when hired by Ipswich Town
🤝 Welcome to #itfc, Kieran.
— Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) December 16, 2021
Galway - Camogie team win senior All-Ireland title
12 September 2021; Galway captain Sarah Dervan lifts the O'Duffy Cup after the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final match between Cork and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Kerry - Oisin Murphy wins champion flat jockey title for a third time
Kildare - Three footballers from the county - Andrew Omobamidele, Nathan Collins and Mark Travers - receive their first Ireland caps
6 October 2021; Republic of Ireland players, from Kildare, Nathan Collins, Mark Travers and Andrew Omobamidele during the 2020-2021 Republic of Ireland international caps presentation at their team hotel in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Kilkenny - Eoin Cody wins second consecutive Young Hurler of the Year award
8 August 2021; Eoin Cody of Kilkenny during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kilkenny and Cork at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Laois - Nicole Turner wins silver medal in swimming for Ireland at the Paralympics
🥈 19-year-old Nicole Turner wins SILVER for Ireland in the S6 50m butterfly at the Paralympic Games!#TeamIreland #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/QUlZppxQ3d
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) August 30, 2021
Leitrim - Sean O'Heslins win first club's first senior football title in 31 years
New County Champions - Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins pic.twitter.com/12B5eSLCWA
— Leitrim GAA (@LeitrimGAA) October 17, 2021
Limerick - Hurlers win second consecutive senior All-Ireland hurling title
Longford - Cian McPhillips wins gold in the 1500m at European Under-20 Championships
What a kick here from Cian McPhillips to take gold in the U20 European Championships 🔥
A huge result for the Longford man 🇮🇪pic.twitter.com/VDqWYVTgr2— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 17, 2021
Louth - Eve McCrystal pilots Katie-George Dunleavy win two gold and a silver in cycling at the Paralympics
#TeamIreland #Gold for KATIE-GEORGE DUNLEVY & EVE MCCRYSTAL! #TeamIreland duo win #gold in the B Road Race, with a time of 2:35:53 👏
Medal number 3 at #Tokyo2020 for the legendary tandem! #TeamIreland | #TheNextLevel pic.twitter.com/nS2iSJRwht— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) September 3, 2021
Mayo - 44-year-old Sinead Diver finishes 10th in the Olympics marathon for Australia
Just incredible from Sinead Diver.
Born in the small village of Belmullet in Ireland. Came to Australia on a working holiday visa in 2002. Took up running at 33 to get fit post-pregnancy.
Olympics debut in Tokyo as a 44-year-old.
10th in the marathon. pic.twitter.com/ka0NPW9dUN— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) August 6, 2021
Meath - Ladies football team win first-ever senior title
Monaghan - Aaron McKenna wins WBC world youth title
AND THE NEW🔥 pic.twitter.com/RGDhmOuBv0
— Aaron McKenna (@Aaronmckenna99) December 11, 2021
Offaly - U20 footballers win U20 All-Ireland title
Roscommon - Jack Carty records a remarkable Connacht first
The scoring grand slam of a try, a conversion, a penalty and a drop-goal in a single match by @JackCarty10 today against @LeicesterTigers is the first time a @connachtrugby player has achieved that feat in the Professional era. Legendary. @ConnachtClan pic.twitter.com/Qz1BzMD2kd
— Craggy Rugby Podcast (@craggyrugbypod) December 19, 2021
Sligo - Mona McSharry becomes first Irish swimmer to reach an Olympic final since 1996
"It's something I'm still trying to get my head around" - Mona McSharry reflects on the experience of being the first Irish swimmer in an Olympic final for 25 years.#olympics #tokyo2020 #RTESport
📺 Watch live - https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱 Updates – https://t.co/eT5tYOLr9U pic.twitter.com/1ZAdBq9qCD— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 27, 2021
Tipperary - Rachael Blackmore becomes the first woman to win the Grand National
Tyrone - Footballers win All-Ireland title
Waterford - Henry de Bromhead becomes first trainer to win the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Gold Cup and Grand National in the same year
Champion Hurdle
Champion Chase
Gold Cup
Henry de Bromhead is the first to compete the Trinity as MINELLA INDO wins the Gold Cup pic.twitter.com/Gw0mrMyMRU— Off To The Races (@OTTR_Elliot) March 19, 2021
Westmeath - Ladies footballers win All-Ireland intermediate title
5 September 2021; Westmeath players celebrate following the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Football Championship Final match between Westmeath and Wexford at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Wexford - Tadhg Furlong named in World Rugby's Team of the Year
Living the dream...
Introducing the 2021 Men's 15s Dream Team of the Year, in association with @Capgemini#WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/wyu0X466M3— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) December 8, 2021
Wicklow - Katie Taylor retains her Undisputed Lightweight boxing title
8 December 2021; Katie Taylor poses for a portrait with her belts during a media day ahead of her Undisputed Lightweight Championship bout against Firuza Sharipova at the Liverpool Guild of Students in Liverpool, England. Photo by Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing via Sportsfile
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