Official Ireland confronted the new age of anarchy tonight, as RTE crowned Conor McGregor as their Sportsperson of the Year for 2016.
McGregor wasn't present to pick up his award - he is presumably waiting to for the Marian Finucane show to be his next appearance in Montrose - but he was interviewed by Clare MacNamara, and RTE played a quick acceptance speech afterwards.
McGregor's er, unique brand of self-confidence was bound to be an uneasy sit with an RTE One audience used to watching Ray D'Arcy guffawing at somebody saying something remarkably inoffensive, and it's fair to say that his award win has divided opinion online.
Well deserved @TheNotoriousMMA #rtesportawards https://t.co/utdz82rGSh
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) December 17, 2016
Well that's a big pity with the Sportsperson of the year. #rtesportawards
— Killian Byrne (@killianbyrne) December 17, 2016
well, given his sport isn't recognised by Sport Ireland some would argue he shouldn't have even been nominated.
— Killian Byrne (@killianbyrne) December 17, 2016
Conor McGregor named RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year. There's just so much wrong with that.
— Darren Norris (@Denmania) December 17, 2016
Good to see @TheNotoriousMMA win Sportsperson of the Year. You don't have to like a sport to acknowledge the achievements of one of our own.
— Mark Breen (@mark_breen) December 17, 2016
Relax everyone RTE's Sports person award is obviously done on same criteria as time magazine's person of the year award. Right? RIGHT?!?!
— Darren Cleary (@RadioCleary) December 17, 2016
RTE sportsperson of the year is Conor McGregor #rtesportawards pic.twitter.com/lOgO696Ds3
— Alan Mulvey 🌻 (@al70) December 17, 2016
Why begrudge McGregor an award that was voted for by the public? #rtesportawards
— Brian Casey (@bocathasaigh) December 17, 2016
Well done McGregor, but more so Ireland 👏🏻👏🏻 An MMA fighter winning an award from a public service broadcaster. Unprecedented. https://t.co/VF7LrMmD0f
— Ryan Evans (@classifiedryan) December 17, 2016
Conor McGregor RTE Sports Personality of the Year - Willie Hegarty will have kittens!!
— Ian Cooney (@cooney_ian) December 17, 2016
Here's why Willie Hegarty will be having kittens.
Mystic Mac strikes again: In 2013 he tweeted 'two belts, shares in the company and the respect and acclaim of Ray D'Arcy's RTE One viewers'.
