It was a breakout year for Irish darts players and most will look to build on excellent performances on the tour. Five players qualified for the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship with many darts predictions tipping the likes of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney. That got us thinking: who are the best Irish darts players and where do those contenders rank amongst them?
The Emerald Isle has a keen affection for darts, but that has not always resulted in the best players. To create this list, we have looked at the past, present, and, in some ways, the future of Irish darts. Let’s look at the top eight Irish darts players of all time.
8. John O’Shea
Not to be confused with the former Manchester United centre-back, fans of the PDC may not be too familiar with John O’Shea. The Cork man has floated between the BDO, PDC, and WDF since 2009 and is yet to earn a Tour Card. However, his performances in the WDF earn him a place on this list.
The Joker won the Irish Players Championship three times between 2010 and 2014. He also entered the PDC UK Open in 2011. However, his key success came in the WDF. O’Shea won the 2019 WDF World Masters at the famous Circus Tavern. That was one of the first triumphs for an Irish player at a major world tournament, despite it coming outside the PDC. Though less famous than some on this list, John O’Shea deserves recognition for his contribution to Irish darts.
7. Keane Barry
Keane Barry’s best years in darts are ahead of him, but the young County Meath man has begun to make a splash in 2024. ‘Dynamite’ started playing in the BDO in 2016 while maintaining competition on the regional scene. He claimed the Northern Ireland Matchplay in 2019 and several youth titles in the BDO, including the World Youth Championship in 2020. Barry joined the PDC in 2020 and claimed his Tour Card in 2021.
Barry did not take long to settle into the PDC despite his youth. His 2022 run in the UK Open established how dangerous Dynamite is going to be. He defeated mainstay and crowd favourite Ricky Evans in the sixth round before squashing 11x major winner James Wade 10-4 in the quarter-finals. Michael Smith eliminated Barry from the competition in the semi-finals, but that run revealed Barry’s true character.
He’s had some impressive performances since. Barry reached the last 16 of the PC Finals in 2022 and won three PDC Development Tour titles in 2024. The youngster is doing all the right things in darts and it may only be a matter of time before we see him deep in tournaments and beating more players with the calibre of Wade.
6. Steve Lennon
Steve Lennon began in the BDO and played for three years before gaining his PDC Tour Card in 2017. The County Carlow man won the Ireland Players Championship as a youngster and won a development tour the year before gaining his card. ‘Scuba Steve’ entered the organisation with a lot of promise. He became part of the Irish World Cup team alongside William O’Connor a year later.
They exited the tournament in the first round in 2018 but reached the final a year later. Lennon contributed to an excellent campaign. They defeated the teams of Michael Smith and Rob Cross, Mensur Suljovic and Zoran Lerchbacher, and Michael van Gerwen and Jermaine Wattimena. Lennon couldn’t help Ireland to gold in the final, losing to Anderson and Peter Wright, but finished with the highest average in the game at 98.93.
Lennon reached the Quarter-finals of the UK Open that same year, defeating Stephen Bunting and Micky Mansell before a narrow 10-8 loss to Nathan Aspinall. He was a Challenger in the Premier League that year in an entertaining back-and-forth with world number three, Peter Wright. At 31, there is plenty of time for Lennon to compete in more Premier Events. He can move himself up the Order of Merit and the list of all-time best Irish darts players.
5. Mickey Mansell
Mickey Mansell has been a mainstay in the PDC for over a decade, since jumping from the BDO in 2010. The ‘Clonoe Cyclone’ earned his Tour Card in 2011 and has beaten some of the best darts players in the world on the floor and on stage in his 15 years as part of the biggest darts organisation in the world. He holds victories over the likes of Gary Anderson and James Wade on the stage.
Mansell starred alongside his countryman Brendan Dolan in four World Cup of Darts tournaments between 2011 and 2015. His efforts helped Northern Ireland to the Semi-Finals in 2015, where they narrowly lost to Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld. He won his maiden PDC title in 2018, defeating two-time world champion Adrian Lewis 6-4 in a Players Championship event.
Mansell has enjoyed one of his best years in the PDC in 2024. The Clonoe Cyclone reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts, winning £50k. That was his deepest run in a PDC Premier Event and the left-hander believes he can build on that even at 51. Micky Mansell has enjoyed a great career and is one of the best Irish darts players, but we may see even more from him in 2025.
4. Josh Rock
Josh Rock is another youngster on the tour but has wasted no time battling it out with the big boys. The 23-year-old spent a short amount of time in the WDF and quickly made a name for himself. While playing in the 2021 Irish Open, he reached one of the highest averages (111.33) in the history of tournaments organised by the WDF. That came by beating Nick Fullwell 4–0 in the third round. Rocky earned his Tour Card a year later and immediately entered Premier Events while maintaining his commitment to youth events.
The County Antrim man broke out immediately. He won his maiden PDC title and defeated Luke Humphries 8-5 in the PC 28 final. He also became the first person to hit a televised nine-dart finish in their debut year at the Grand Slam of Darts and reached the last 16 in his World Championship debut. To top it off, Rock won the PDC World Youth Championship. He ended by breaking the record for the highest average in a final with 104.13.
Rocky has continued to go from strength to strength since. He has defeated huge names on the stage and floor, such as Nathan Aspinall, Jonny Clayton, and world number one Luke Humphries. Two more PDC titles came in 2024 as Rock surged up to number 18 in the PDC Order of Merit. That makes him the highest-ranked Irish/Northern Irish player in the world.
He also won his first European Tour event, beating former world champion Gerwyn Price on his way to the 2024 Dutch Darts Championship final. At just 23, Rock has the potential to become the best Irish darts player of all time.
3. William O’Connor
William O’Connor’s longevity in the game sees him rank just above Josh Rock. The Magpie made his PDC debut in 2009 and shot to prominence at the UK Open the following year. He whitewashed Stuart Monaghan in the first round, then defeated Mark Frost and Peter Wright to reach the fourth round. His run ended when he lost to world number three, James Wade. O’Connor has been a mainstay of the World Cup since, appearing for Ireland every year and reaching the final in 2019.
The Magpie won his maiden PDC title in 2019. The Limerick native has reached the semi-finals of the UK Open, the quarter-finals of the PC Finals and European Championship, and twice the last 32 of the World Championship. O’Connor’s board skills are excellent, but he is also known for his spectacular walkout. The Irishman comes out to the tune of Zombie by The Cranberries, frequently hyping up the crowd everywhere he goes.
O’Connor is yet to win a Premier Event but is a mainstay on the tour. He has also enjoyed some strong runs in majors. His place in the Irish World Cup team and their exciting run to the final in 2019 still live strong in the minds of Irish fans. The Magpie still has plenty of years in him. His convincing performances in the UK Open give us the belief he has a major final in him down the line. O’Connor deserves his place among the best Irish darts players for his longevity.
2. Brendan Dolan
Brendan Dolan has been with the PDC for over 20 years. Dolan earned the nickname ‘The History Maker’ during his time on the tour. He first rose to prominence in the 2010s, entering ranked events as the highest rank Northern Irish player in the PDC Order of Merit. The Belcoo man reached the final of the World Grand Prix in 2011. There, he beat former world champion John Part and reigning Grand Prix champion James Wade. Although he lost to the great Phil Taylor in the final, that tournament is important to him for something far greater.
Dolan became the first player to hit a nine-darter in a double-in tournament, earning his nickname ‘The History Maker’. Dolan has won 10 ranked PDC titles between 2013 and 2024 and has several deep runs in majors.
He has reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and PC Finals and is a two-time World Championship quarter-finalist. He reached the last eight in 2024 and at 51 is still playing excellent darts, currently ranked 30th in the Order of Merit. Dolan has also made the semis of the World Cup twice and reached the quarter-finals on five occasions.
Brendan Dolan is one of the trailblazers of darts in Ireland. He may not have won a major, but the fact he is going deep into tournaments over 20 years since he joined the PDC is a testament to his talents. There is still more to come from The History Maker. He is still inside the top 32 in the Order of Merit. There will be plenty more chances at Premier Events in 2025. For many fans, Dolan is the best Irish darts player of all time.
1. Daryl Gurney
For as much history as Brendan Dolan made, Daryl Gurney has made even more. SuperChin made his debut in the BDO in 2004. He played there for nine years, twice reaching the last 16 of the BDO World Championship. Gurney joined the PDC in 2013 and slowly began to make a name for himself. He reached the semi-final of the Players Championship Finals in 2015, defeating reigning champion Gary Anderson along the way.
His profile continued to build and by 2017, Gurney was officially one of the top contenders in the PDC. He began the year by reaching the World Championship quarter-finals and the UK Open and World Matchplay semi-finals.
SuperChin was clearly approaching the precipice of something big, and he finally got there that year. He won the 2017 World Grand Prix, defeating Adrian Lewis, Joe Cullen, Robert Thornton, and John Henderson before seeing off Simon Whitlock in the final. In doing so, he became the first and only Irishman to win a major PDC title.
Gurney proved it was no fluke in 2018 when he won his second PDC Premier Event. He defeated some big names like Brendan Dolan, Ryan Searle, and Chris Dobey on his way. The Derry native defeated world number one Michael van Gerwen in the final for his second major title in as many years. He is the highest-ranked Irishman of all time, breaking into the top three in 2019.
Anyone betting on the World Darts Championship can back him to claim his first world title this year. His record in major tournaments speaks for itself and his performances in 2024 indicate there is still more to come from SuperChin. Daryl Gurney has to go down as the best Irish darts player of all time.
