Tidings of sport across RTÉ this Christmas
Sí an Nollaig í
Celebrate 2025’s top Irish sporting stars with RTÉ Sport Awards live from RTÉ Studios on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
RTÉ pays tribute to Rory McIlroy in two special documentaries on TV and radio in Rory McIlroy – A Battle Won and Rory McIlroy’s Holywood Ending
A packed live sporting schedule including Racing from Leopardstown, GAA club championships, United Rugby Championship and Champions League Live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1
This Christmas, RTÉ is serving up the best of sport for all fans across video, audio and online. Settle into a wide selection of live action which promises to have you on the edge of your seat.
2025 was a big year for sport with incredible moments in the Six Nations, GAA championship, golf and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to name a few. Each year, RTÉ celebrates the achievements of Irish sports men and women, and this year there is plenty to toast to! On December 20, Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and David Gillick will be live from Studio 4 to present the annual RTÉ Sport Awards to honour all their achievements.
RTÉ also pays tribute to one of Ireland’s greatest golfers in two documentaries, on radio and TV, looking at the career of Rory McIlroy.
There will also be hockey, racing and athletics offerings to keep you engaged as we swing into the New Year.
The RTÉ Sport Awards 2025
Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and David Gillick present the RTÉ Sport Awards 2025 on Saturday 20 December at 8.00pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
After an outstanding 12 months year for Irish sport, the stars gather in Studio 4 in RTÉ to celebrate the achievements of Irish sportsmen and women this year.
The awards being handed out on the night include RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year, RTÉ Sport Team of the Year, RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year and RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year. Additionally, a legend of Irish sport will be inducted into the RTÉ Sport Hall of Fame.
Racing from Leopardstown
The festive tradition that is the Leopardstown Christmas Festival begins on St Stephen’s Day with four days of action, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. RTÉ Sport’s Racing team will bring viewers all the action from one of the highlights of Christmas. Ahead of Leopardstown, RTÉ Racing will be live from Cork for Hilly Way Chase Day on Sunday 7 December.
Rory McIlroy’s Holywood Ending
2025 was a remarkable year for golfer Rory McIlroy from Holywood, County Down. Already regarded as one of the greatest golfers of the modern era, he finally completed golf’s Grand Slam by winning the US Masters at Augusta National.
It was an emotional victory for McIlroy as he claimed the one major tournament that had agonisingly eluded him for so many years. His triumph in Georgia was a roller-coaster journey. It looked as though his dreams would be dashed again when he was forced into a playoff with Justin Rose, but Rory rallied and prevailed to secure his place in golfing immortality.
In a stellar year, Rory went on to win the Irish Open at the K Club and played a key role as Europe retained the Ryder Cup. RTÉ Radio 1 takes look back at a year like no other for Rory McIlroy — one that had a Holywood ending.
Rory McIlroy – A Battle Won
Rory McIlroy – A Battle Won peels back the layers of McIlroy’s mental journey — his struggles with expectation, public scrutiny, inner doubt, and the long fourteen years of emotional toll trying to win The Masters at Augusta.
Blending incredible archive of a young Rory over the years, along with interviews with golfing legends such as Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Bob Rotella, Rory McIlroy – The Battle Won is a powerful documentary chronicling Rory McIlroy’s long and dramatic journey that began when a nine-year-old boy first told of his dream to win all four Majors and culminates in the sporting year of his life.
The film interweaves iconic moments from Rory’s two-decade career—his meteoric rise, the very public setbacks, reinventions, personal growth and eventual triumph.
Champions League Live
The UEFA Champions League continues live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with live coverage of Real Madrid v Manchester City from the Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday 10 December.
Saturday GAA Live & Sunday GAA Live
The live GAA action continues on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player ahead of the festive period with the Leinster Club Football and Hurling Finals live from Croke Park on Saturday 6 December plus the Camogie All Ireland Club Finals on Sunday 14 December also from headquarters.
European Cross Country Championships
Sunday 14 December sees live coverage on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player of the Spar European Cross Country Championships from the Mediterranean resort of Lagoa in Portugal.
Hockey FIH Pro League
Sports Campus Ireland will be the venue from 11-14 December as Ireland take on Belgium and England in the Hockey FIH Pro League live on RTÉ News channel and RTÉ Player.
Sport on Radio
Over the Christmas period RTÉ Radio 1 will deliver live coverage of the Irish rugby derbies in the URC. There will also be action in both hurling and football as the All-Ireland Club Football and Hurling Championships reach the semi-final stage. Festive racing comes live from Leopardstown and Limerick and there will be updates and analysis on all the rest of the sporting action at home and abroad right up until the New Year. And, of course, the station will look back at 2025 and preview ahead to 2026 when we’ll do it all over again.
After a 2025 series that featured guests like Siobhán McSweeney, Self Esteem and series champion President Michael D Higgins, Eoin McDevitt and Ciarán Murphy return to test the sporting credentials of two new competitors on Second Captains. From the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dublin Celts, Myles Dungan explores the stories that have shaped Ireland’s relationship with American football and the NFL on Huddles, Snaps and Super Bowls. Donncha O’Callaghan is Bernard Dunne’s guest on the Dunne Talking: Christmas Special for a conversation about family, resilience, sport and the experiences that shaped his life on and off the pitch.
On 2FM, Aindriú de Paor looks back at the Irish sporting highlights of the year.
Spórt Lá ‘le Stiofáin will have live coverage, reports, results and analysis of the sport of the day on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
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