TO CELEBRATE International Women’s Day TheScore.ie has compiled a power rankings list of our favourite Irish sportswomen.
We whittled a list down from 30 to 15 and, finally, arrived at a top 10 featuring some of the finest women to ever represent the country, and their counties, at sport.
Have a read, pay your dues and let us know who we have omitted.
Katie Taylor
(INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
Olympic Gold Medallist and four-time world champion. Irish hopes for Rio 2016 rest on the Bray boxer but she handles pressure like a pro.
Sonia O’Sullivan
(Pic: INPHO/Patrick Bolger)
The Cork native won Gold at the World Athletics Championships in 1995 and won a Silver at the 2000 Olympic Games.
Juliet Murphy
(Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
The Reblette star has won seven All-Ireland titles in eight seasons. She has picked up five All Star awards.
Fionnuala Britton
(Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
Britton’s star is on the rise. The long-distance runner is the two-time European Cross Country champion and won Bronze in the 3000m at the Euro Indoor Champs.
Ciara Grant
(Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan)
Grant was a member of Arsenal Ladies’ treble and quadruple-winning sides. She made 102 caps for Ireland before her international retirement last year.
Sycerika McMahon
(Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Kelvin Boyes)
The Belfast swimmer is one for the future but already has European medals to her name. She won bronze and silver and respective long and short course championships last year.
Fiona Coghlan
(Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
Coghlan, a full-time school teacher, is finally getting the recognition her rugby efforts deserve. Led Ireland to a first-ever Triple Crown this year.
Derval O’Rourke
(Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy)
The sprint hurdles athlete won Gold at the 2006 World Indoors in Moscow. She has two Euro Champs silvers to her name and represented Ireland in three Olympics.
Catherina McKiernan
(Pic: INPHO/Vesna Djilas)
The Cavan long distance runner won European Cross Country Gold in 1994 and has four World Cross Country silvers on her cluttered mantlepiece.
Angela Downey
(Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland)
The Kilkenny camogie star won 12 All Ireland medals in a storied career that spanned three decades.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kathleen Mills of Dublin won 15 All-Ireland camogie titles from 1941 to 1961. Una O’Connor played alongside Mills and won 13 All-Irelands in Dublin colours.
What do you think? Should Michelle Smith be included? How about Chloe Magee, Annalise Murphy or Mary O’Connor?
