Dream trip to Washington up for grabs in vote for our Sportstar of the Year

THE Irish Independent became the first to recognise sporting excellence with our Sportstar of the Week award way back in August 1950 when Louth goalkeeper Sean Thornton was honoured for inspiring the Wee County to a shock victory over Kerry in their All-Ireland SFC semi-final.

The 2017 edition of our roll of honour is almost complete and now it’s time for our readers to choose who should be the Irish

Independent Sportstar of the Year in association with The Croke Park Hotel.

Everyone who casts a vote will be entered into a draw for a dream trip for two to Washington DC, with flights compliments of Aer Lingus and accommodation in The Dupont Circle courtesy of The Doyle Collection.

There will also be a runnersup prize of a weekend for two in a Doyle Collection hotel in London, with return flights to London Heathrow compliments of Aer Lingus. No cash alternatives will be offered and the Editor’s decision is final.

Over the coming weeks, some of our top team of writers will be making their choices, but it’s the readers’ votes that will decide who is the 2017 Irish Independent Sportstar of the Year. You can vote for anyone who was named Sportstar of the Week.

We also want you to vote for the Young Sportstar of the Year, Team of the Year and the Sports Magic Moment of the Year. You must pick your Young Sportstar of the Year from our list of nominees (below), while Team of the Year is your own choice.

To see the contenders for the Sports Magic Moment of Year and find out how to vote, visit