PFAI Players' Player of the Year

Mark Farren won the award in 2005.

The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFAI Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Irish Player of the Year) award is given to the footballer the League of Ireland Premier Division, who is seen to have been the best player of the previous season. ^[1]

The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (the PFAI), and then the winner is voted for by the other players in the league. The prize is regarded as the highest awarded by the PFAI and is seen as the primary "Player of the Year" award in Ireland.

The award was first given in 1981, and was won by Athlone Town player Padraig O'Connor. The latest winner of the award is Michael Duffy of Derry City.

List of winners

Highlighted players are winning the award for a second time.

2020s

Year	Player	Club
2025	Michael Duffy	Derry City
2024	Dylan Watts	Shamrock Rovers
2023	Chris Forrester	St Patrick's Athletic
2022	Rory Gaffney	Shamrock Rovers
2021	Georgie Kelly	Bohemians
2020	Jack Byrne	Shamrock Rovers

2010s

Year	Player	Club
2019	Jack Byrne	Shamrock Rovers
2018	Michael Duffy	Dundalk
2017	Sean Maguire	Cork City
2016	Daryl Horgan	Dundalk
2015	Richie Towell	Dundalk
2014	Christy Fagan	St Patrick's Athletic
2013	Killian Brennan	St Patrick's Athletic
2012	Mark Quigley	Sligo Rovers
2011	Éamon Zayed	Derry City
2010	Richie Ryan	Sligo Rovers

2000s

Year	Player	Club
2009	Gary Twigg	Shamrock Rovers
2008	Keith Fahey	St Patrick's Athletic
2007	Brian Shelley	Drogheda United
2006	Joseph N'Do	Shelbourne
2005	Mark Farren	Derry City
2004	Jason Byrne	Shelbourne
2003	Jason Byrne	Shelbourne
2003	Glen Crowe	Bohemians
2002	Owen Heary	Shelbourne
2001	Glen Crowe	Bohemians
2000	Pat Fenlon	Shelbourne

1990s

Year	Player	Club
1999	Paul Osam	St Patrick's Athletic
1998	Pat Scully	Shelbourne
1997	Peter Hutton	Derry City
1996	Eddie Gormley	St Patrick's Athletic
1995	Liam Coyle	Derry City
1994	Stephen Geoghegan	Shamrock Rovers
1993	Donal O'Brien	Derry City
1992	Pat Fenlon	Bohemians
1991	Pat Morley	Cork City
1990	Mark Ennis	St Patrick's Athletic

1980s

Year	Player	Club
1989	Paul Doolin	Derry City
1988	Paddy Dillon	St Patrick's Athletic
1987	Mick Byrne	Shamrock Rovers
1986	Paul Doolin	Shamrock Rovers
1985	Tommy Gaynor	Limerick City
1984	Pat Byrne	Shamrock Rovers
1983	Martin Murray	Drogheda United
1982	Paul McGrath	St Patrick's Athletic
1981	Padraig O'Connor	Athlone Town

Breakdown of winners

Winners by club

Club	Number of wins
St Patrick's Athletic	9 (1982, 1988, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2023)
Shamrock Rovers	9 (1984, 1986, 1987, 1994, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024)
Derry City	7 (1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2011, 2025)
Shelbourne	6 (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Bohemians	4 (1992, 2001, 2003, 2021)
Dundalk	3 (2015, 2016, 2018)
Cork City	2 (1991, 2017)
Sligo Rovers	2 (2010, 2012)
Drogheda United	2 (1983, 2007)
Limerick	1 (1985)
Athlone Town	1 (1981)

Winners by country

Country	Number of wins
Republic of Ireland	40 (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Northern Ireland	2 (1995, 1997)
Cameroon	1 (2006)
Scotland	1 (2009)
Libya	1 (2011)

See also

• PFAI Young Player of the Year
• PFAI Team of the Year

References

1. Ireland – Player of the Year and Other Awards

External links

• Professional Footballers Association of Ireland