Northern Ireland

Derry's James McClean wins RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year award

James McClean beat 14 other nominees to win the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year award. Picture from RTÉ
James McClean beat 14 other nominees to win the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year award. Picture from RTÉ James McClean beat 14 other nominees to win the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year award. Picture from RTÉ

REPUBLIC of Ireland footballer James McClean has been named as RTÉ's Sportsperson of the Year.

The Derry winger beat 14 other nominees to win the public vote, after a year in which he captained Ireland for the first time, on his 50th appearance.

He fought off competition for the award from a host of other stars including Belfast boxer Ryan Burnett, middle distance runner Michael McKillop and Mayo inter-county gaelic footballer Andy Moran.

McClean said that becoming the first Derry man to captain the Republic side was the highlight of his career.

"Captaining my country, for me, I don't think there's ever going to be an an honour that tops that. To be the first Derryman too to ever wear the armband on my 50th cap is something I'll take to the grave with me," he told RTÉ.

"It (the award) means a lot. It's the Irish public voting for me. For them to vote for me is something special, something I'm immensely proud of."

The manager of the year award went to Aidan O'Brien, the record-breaking horse trainer, while 17-year-old swimmer Mona McSharry scooped the inaugural young sportsperson's award.

Former world snooker champion Ken Doherty was inducted into the awards' hall of fame, with the team award won by the Irish showjumping side, who clinched a gold medal in the European Championship.

Meanwhile, motorcycle racer Jonathan Rea has finished runner-up in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, which were held last night in Liverpool.



30-year-old Rea, from Ballyclare in Co Antrim, made history this year when he won the World Superbikes championship for the third successive year.



Athletics coach Stephen Maguire, from Strabane, won coach of the year along with Benke Blomkvist and Christian Malcolm for leading the Great Britain's men's 4 x 100m team to gold medals at the World Championships in the summer.