One of the most anticipated events in the Irish sporting calendar, the RTE Sports Awards took place yesterday evening, celebrating the exceptional achievements and stories of athletes who have made their mark over the past year.
From historic victories on the global stage to standout performances that captured the nation’s heart, this year’s awards brought together Ireland’s sporting elite with Irish Paralympians taking home two of the top honours on the evening.
The awards were live from the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook.
Róisín Ní Ríain was nominated in two categories, Young Sportsperson of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year. The Limerick swimmer was named Young Sportsperson of the Year for 2024 following an incredible year of achievements for the 19-year-old. She won five medals at the Para Swimming European Championships in Madeira in April and then followed up her European success by winning silver and bronze at her second Paralympic Games.
This was the third accolade Ní Ríain has picked up since her exploits in Paris this summer. In October she was awarded Young Paralympian of the Games at the Paralympics Ireland Paris 2024 Ball, and in November she was named Swim Ireland’s 2024 Para Swimmer of the Year.
Katie-George Dunlevy and her pilot, Linda Kelly, had an unforgettable year, winning gold and silver medals at the Paralympic Games and double gold at World Championships. Their remarkable success was recognized last night when they were honoured with the Team of the Year award.
The tandem duo faced strong competition in the ‘Team of the Year’ category which included the All-Ireland-winning Armagh men’s footballers, Clare men’s hurlers, Cork camogie team, and Kerry women’s footballers. Dunlevy was also nominated in the Sportsperson of the Year category which was awarded to Paul O’ Donovan.
They brought home a gold medal from the Women’s B Individual Time Trial and a silver medal from the Women’s B Road Race from the Paralympic Games. Not long after Paris they won gold in the time trial and road race at the UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships in Zurich.
This is Dunlevy’s second time winning this award, she previously won in 2021 with pilot Eve McCrystal.
Speaking at the awards Dunlevy said, “It’s huge, myself and Eve won this after Tokyo, which was like a dream. For para-athletes to actually win an accolade like this is huge. I represent so much. I am represented visually impaired children and adults at home to believe in themselves and you can achieve.”
