Down through the years, the majority of top Irish players seemed to emerge from Dublin. The capital was the lifeblood of football on the island, while Belfast would provide a huge chunk of the talent in Northern Ireland.
That has steadily been changing in recent times, with a larger spread of talent now emerging across the country.
There are players from every county on the island of Ireland currently making their way in the professional game, although some certainly have deeper playing pools than other.
With that being said, here is the best active player from each of Ireland's 32 counties.
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The best player from every county in Ireland
Antrim - Jonny Evans (Manchester United)
There is quite a bit of competition for this spot, with the majority of it coming from within the Northern Ireland squad. In saying that, Jonny Evans was the obvious choice.
While he is now 36-years old, he is still a very reliable Premier League defender, making a surprise return to Old Trafford last summer. He has gone on to play a much larger role than anyone expected, and won an FA Cup medal after coming on in last May's final victory over Manchester City.
Armagh - Cameron Dummigan (Derry City)
There is nobody of Neil Lennon's calibre from the county in the modern game, with the most eye-catching Armagh talent coming in the form of Derry City defender Cameron Dummigan.
The Lurgan native came through the youth ranks at Burnley, before a four-year spell at Oldham Athletic. He has since carved out a good career in the League of Ireland, impressing massively for Derry City since joining from Dundalk in 2022.
Carlow - Padraig Amond (Waterford)
Having began his career in the League of Ireland and then taking a brief foray in Portugal, Padraig Amond has gone on to carve out quite the career in the lower leagues of English football.
His exploits with Newport County are well known at this stage, with the striker joining National League club Woking in 2022. He would then join Waterford for the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division campaign. A hugely impressive campaign saw him finish tied as the league's top scorer, with Waterford finishing 7th in the table.
Cavan - Jake Doyle-Hayes (Hibernian)
Oisín McEntee and Cillian Sheridan were considered here, but Jake Doyle-Hayes has to be the pick after his form for Hibernian in recent times.
Though the 25-year-old's minutes have been limited by injuries in recent seasons, he remains the most talented footballer from Cavan.
Clare - Barry Cotter (Barnsley)
Ennis native Barry Cotter came through the ranks at Limerick City, eventually moving to Ipswich Town. He would make only a couple of league appearances for the club, spending time on loan at Chelmsford City.
He returned to Irish football with Shamrock Rovers in 2021, before spending the following at St Pat's. Having impressed at Richmond Park, he would be picked up by Barnsley in January of 2023.
He has made 11 appearances for the League One side so far this season.
Cork - Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool)
John Egan has held this title for the last number of years, while Chiedozie Ogbene would step up and claim it for the last year or so.
However, despite Ogbene's form in the Premier League, there is a clear winner when it comes to the Rebel county's footballing contingent.
Despite remaining behind Alisson Becker in the pecking order at Liverpool, Caoimhín Kelleher has established himself as Irish football's brightest light in recent seasons. The 25-year-old Corkonian has been hugely impressive when deputising for Alisson on multiple occasions, and was a core part of two League Cup-winning teams in the past three seasons.
A major move for more regular football surely beckons for a man keen to shed the 'backup keeper' moniker.
Derry - Shane Duffy (Norwich City)
James McClean and Shane Duffy are the two options here, although the Norwich City man is probably just ahead in the pecking order considering he has been playing in a higher division for the past few seasons and continues to make occasional appearances at international level.
Donegal - Seamus Coleman (Everton)
Seamus Coleman has occupied this spot since the twilight of Shay Given's career, and while he may be 36-years-old, he looks unlikely to relinquish it anytime soon.
He may not be at his physical peak, but the defender remains a hugely important character for both Everton and Ireland. His evergreen brilliance was shown with his performance against Manchester City on St. Stephen's Day.
Down - Josh Magennis (Exeter City)
Bangor native Josh Magennis came through the Cardiff City youth academy, since spending his entire career in either Scottish or English football.
The 34-year old made his debut for Northern Ireland in 2010 and has since racked up 80 caps for the nation. He has three goals and three assists in 20 League One appearances for Exeter this season.
Dublin - Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town)
As is usually the case, Dublin has a deeper current talent pool than all other counties. Matt Doherty held this spot for the last few years, while Gavin Bazunu, Troy Parrott, Dara O'Shea, and Jason Knight are just some of the young talents that recently emerged from the capital.
Considering Doherty’s lack of club football over the last year or so, we're going to go with Dara O'Shea for now. He has consistently impressed across multiple top flight spells, and has been one of Ipswich Town's best performers on their return to the Premier League this season.
He is also an incredibly consistent performer at international level and started all but one of Ireland's games in 2024. A lock in the starting XI and rightfully so.
Fermanagh - Kyle Lafferty (Johnstone Burgh)
Kyle Lafferty held this spot for many years before his fall down the divisions saw us plump for goalkeeper Michael McGovern last year.
However, with McGovern retiring during the summer, the experience of Kyle Lafferty sees him return to top spot for Fermanagh.
Galway - Ryan Manning (Southampton)
Aaron Connolly would have occupied this position not so long ago, and while he played well at times for Hull City this season, he has not done enough to regain it just yet.
Ryan Manning has returned to Premier League level with Southampton this year and, though the Saints have struggled and Manning's minutes have been inconsistent, he is operating at a higher level than anyone else from Galway.
Kerry - Gary O'Neill (Shamrock Rovers)
Options were reasonably limited in Kerry, although Gary O'Neill is certainly an excellent player.
He has carved out a very good career in the League of Ireland, firstly for UCD and now Shamrock Rovers. He has been an important part in Rovers' title wins over the last few seasons.
Kildare - Nathan Collins (Brentford)
There is quite the production line in Kildare at the moment, with Nathan Collins, Andrew Omobamidele, and Mark Travers all coming through the county.
Collins has to be the pick, having recently become the most expensive Irish player of all-time after his £20.5million move to Wolves in 2022. He would go on to break that record for the second successive summer by moving to Brentford for £23.5million in recent times and has excelled at his new club in recent times.
His debut season in London was up and down at times, but the centre-back finished with a strong run of form and has made himself a pillar of the Bees' starting XI.
Kilkenny - Sean Maguire (Cork City)
Sean Maguire became the first Kilkenny man to play for Ireland since the 1930s when he made his debut back in 2017, going on to earn 11 caps in total since then.
He has returned to the League of Ireland in recent years, and was a crucial player as Cork City returned to the top flight by winning last season's First Division.
Laois - Colin Conroy (Treaty United)
There aren't a whole lot of options when it comes to Laois, with the Treaty United midfielder the clear choice.
The 21-year-old came through the ranks at Bohemians before joining the Limerick club in 2022. He has remained there ever since.
Leitrim - Niall Morahan (Sligo Rovers)
Niall Morahan has become an increasingly important player for Sligo Rovers in recent times. The Leitrim Village native came through the youth ranks at the club and has racked up the appearances in both domestic and European competition over the last few seasons.
He made 33 League of Ireland appearances last year, as Sligo managed an impressive 6th-placed finish.
Limerick - Dara Costelloe (Accrington Stanley, on loan from Burnley)
Anthony Forde held this position for quite a few years, but Dara Costelloe is deserving of the accolade after his recent form. The former Galway United man joined Burnley in 2021, and a string of loan moves have defined his time at Turf Moor thus far.
Costelloe is currently on the books at Accrington Stanley, where he has five goals in 17 League Two appearances thus far this season.
The defender made his Ireland U21 debut earlier last year in a friendly against Ukraine.
Longford - James Abankwah (Udinese)
The first player in this article to ply his trade outside of Ireland or the UK, James Abankwah joined Udinese from St Pat's earlier this year.
The 20-year-old lived in a few different counties during his childhood, but it was after his move to Longford that he started to make his way in the game. He was part of their Kennedy Cup team in 2016 before playing for Cherry Orchard, and eventually Pat's.
🇮🇪| James Abankwah made his Udinese debut today
Just 18 years old
Congratulations James
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/PUXBAX1mMr— IP🇮🇪⚽️ (@IrishPropaganda) July 13, 2022
He was a fixture on the bench for Udinese during the 2022-23 season and made two appearances in Serie A towards the end of the campaign.
He joined Charlton Athletic on loan last season, although the move would be cut short due to a lack of playing time. He has made five Serie A appearances so far this year.
Louth - Jimmy Dunne (QPR)
Louth have a history of producing excellent players, with Jimmy Dunne currently the pick of the bunch. The centre back came through the youth ranks at Burnley, before joining QPR in 2021.
He has since gone from strength to strength, starring at Loftus Road despite the team's struggles in recent months. He has yet to make his Ireland debut, although that is something that is likely to change in the near future.
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Mayo - Luke McNicholas (Rochdale, on loan Wrexham)
Having impressed massively at Cliftonville and Sligo Rovers this season, it was no surprise to see Belcarra native Luke McNicholas draw interest from British clubs in recent times.
He would go on to make an initial loan move to up-and-comers Wrexham last December, a deal that was made permanent in January.
He is currently on loan at National League side Rochdale.
Meath - Evan Ferguson (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Darragh Lenihan became the first Meath man ever to feature for Ireland when he made his international debut back in 2018, occupying this spot on the list since then.
However, Evan Ferguson is the clear choice as things stand. The Brighton striker has shown signs of something sensational since making his first-team breakthrough, establishing himself as an important contributor at both club and international level despite being only 20 years old.
Ferguson has struggled at club level since Christmas last year, but that is not unexpected from such a young player. He remains the most talented player to emerge from this country in quite some time.
Monaghan - Mark Connolly (Derry City)
Clones man Mark Connolly had a lengthy spell in British football after joining Wolves as a youth player back in 2009, playing for the likes of Crawley Town, Kilmarnock, and Dundee United before returning to Ireland on loan at Dundalk in 2022.
He would be sold to Derry City later that year and has since become a key contributor in Ruadhrí Higgins' squad.
Offaly - Edwin Agbaje (Sutton United, on loan Ipswich Town)
Offaly did not have a very deep pool to choose from, with Edenderry native Edwin Agbaje the clear choice.
Having lined out for Shamrock Rovers at underage level, he would join Ipswich Town in 2020, playing for their youth team before impressing on loan at Yeovil Town in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign. He is currently on loan at National League Sutton United.
The 20-year-old has been capped by Ireland up to U18 level.
Roscommon - Dara McGuinness (Leek Town, on loan from Stoke City)
Athlone teenager Dara McGuinness played for both St Pat's and Shamrock Rovers at underage level, joining the latter in 2020. He would go from strength to strength since then, signing for Stoke City on a professional deal in 2022.
He has been an important player in Stoke's U23 side, scoring five goals for them in PL2 last season. He spent the first half of this season on loan at Leek Town, and is set to return to Stoke City in January.
He has been capped by Ireland up to U18 level. He qualifies for the Rossies as he hails from the Roscommon side of Athlone.
Sligo - Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Celtic)
It was a toss up between Johnny Kenny and Liam Kerrigan here, both of whom have made interesting transfer moves in recent times. However, Kerrigan's serious injury last season means that Kenny is the clear choice at the moment.
He joined Celtic from Sligo Rovers in 2022, going on to spend time on loan at Queen's Park. He would join Shamrock Rovers on loan for the 2023 season and has been a key player under Stephen Bradley.
He has been a pillar of Rovers' sensational Conference League run this season with seven league phase goals, sitting behind only Chelsea's Marc Guiu in the competition's top scorers. Rovers fans will be sorry to see him return to Glasgow.
Tipperary - Lee Grace (Shamrock Rovers)
Shane Long has held this spot for nearly two decades, but considering he seems to be retired from football, it is finally time for Lee Grace to take the mantle.
He has had a very impressive career in the League of Ireland and was a mainstay of the all-conquering Shamrock Rovers side over the last five years or so.
Tyrone - Conor Bradley (Liverpool)
Stuart Dallas held this title for quite a few years, but his recent retirement coupled with Conor Bradley's rise at Liverpool means that he is now the obvious choice.
The 20-year-old would make 23 appearances for the club in all competitions, winning a huge number of plaudits while filling in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. He now looks set to be a huge part of the future at Anfield, especially if Alexander-Arnold leaves in the summer as has been rumoured.
Bradley has won 23 caps for Northern Ireland at senior level, scoring four times.
Waterford - Jayson Molumby (West Brom)
Jayson Molumby is steadily improving throughout his career. He was a very highly rated youth prospect at Brighton, going on to captain the Ireland U21 side under Stephen Kenny.
While he would be forced to move to West Brom for regular first-team football, he has earned 29 caps for Ireland over the last five years and has become a mainstay in the side in recent times.
Westmeath - Aidan Keena (St. Patrick's Athletic)
Mullingar native Aidan Keena came through the ranks at St Pat's, being picked by Scottish club Hearts in 2017. He would never quite nail down a spot at the club, moving to Hartlepool and Falkirk before eventually making his way back to the League of Ireland in 2022
The striker was in fantastic form for Sligo Rovers after his return, scoring 19 goals and finishing as the top scorer in the League of Ireland. He would carry that impressive form over to Cheltenham Town after his January 2023 move, notching six goals in League One.
He returned to St. Patrick's Athletic this summer, and was a core influence of their impressive finish to the season, scoring six times in 11 League of Ireland appearances.
Wexford - Festy Ebosele (Watford, on loan from Udinese)
Festy Ebsosele became the first Wexford man to play for Ireland since Kevin Doyle when he made his debut in September, since adding two more caps to his international tally.
The 19-year old had a fantastic season at Derby County in 2021/22, moving to Udinese on a free transfer in the summer of 2022. His playing time varied in Italy, but he has flourished since returning to England on loan with Watford this season.
Since Heimir Hallgrímsson's arrival as Ireland head coach, Ebosele has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in a green jersey, playing a pivotal role in October's win in Helsinki.
Wicklow - Liam Scales (Celtic)
Liam Scales has very much made this spot his own in recent times, with his breakthrough at Celtic in recent years being one of the feel good stories of the campaign from an Irish perspective.
Scales has been a consistently impressive performer at club level since making the starting spot at Celtic his own, taking particuular plaudits for his performances in the Champions League this season.
He has firmly established himself as a regular in Heimir Hallgrímsson's Ireland XI.
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