Steven Davis and Josh Magennis scored in Northern Ireland's 3-1 win over Greece which clinched qualification for the finals of Euro 2016. It is the first time NI have qualified for a major tournament since the 1986 World Cup
Northern Ireland's success earned manager Michael O'Neill the Coach of the Year award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year staged in Belfast
The Republic of Ireland also qualified for Euro 2016 by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in a play-off in November. Stoke's Jonathan Walters scored both goals in the decisive 2-0 win in the second leg at the Aviva Stadium
Ireland skipper Paul O'Connell's international career came to an end when he limped out of the Rugby World Cup match against Italy. The Irish won to qualify for the quarter-finals but were then beaten 43-20 by Argentina
Belfast boxer Michael Conlan became the first Irish man to win a world amateur title when he beat Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan in the AIBA bantamweight final in Doha, Qatar
Carl Frampton was knocked down twice in the first round against Alejandro Gonzalez in El Paso in July but went on to retain his IBF super-bantamweight on points
Carnlough native Brendan Rodgers was sacked as Liverpool manager in October, just hours after a 1-1 draw with Everton in Merseyside derby
Jason Smyth won the Men's 100m T13 final at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Qatar in October
Michael McKillop secured gold medals in the T38 800m and T37 1500m events at the IPC World Championships in Doha
Ulster finished the year on a high with four wins in December, including a 38-0 home win over Toulouse, after a disappointing end to their 2014-15 campaign as they were edged out by Glasgow in their Pro12 semi-final at Scotstoun
Ireland were crowned Six Nations champions for the second successive year after a dramatic final round of fixtures on 21 March
Toomebridge jockey AP McCoy ended his illustrious career in April and went on to pick up a lifetime achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in December
John Mooney and Niall O'Brien were important figures as Ireland beat West Indies and Zimbabwe in their pool games at the Cricket World Cup in February and March
Crusaders captain Colin Coates lifts the Gibson Cup after the Shore Road team won the Irish Premiership in April
Glentoran players celebrate after beating Portadown in the Irish Cup final at the Oval in May
Coleraine rowers Peter Chambers and Joel Cassells won gold for Great Britain in the lightweight pairs at the European Championships in Poland. Cassells went on to partner Sam Scrimgeour to gold at the World Championships in France in September
Jonathan Rea was a regular on the top step of the podium as he comfortably won the World Superbike Championship on a Kawasaki
Alastair Seeley grabbed a hat-trick of wins at the North West 200 in May to draw level with Robert Dunlop as the most successful competitor at the Triangle circuit with 15 victories
Fermanagh rider Lee Johnston enjoyed a treble at the Ulster Grand Prix road race meeting at Dundrod in August
Rory McIlroy missed the Open Championship at St Andrews in July with an ankle injury which ruled him out for five weeks but took three European Tour victories in 2015 to win the Race to Dubai title and be named European Tour Golfer of the Year
Graeme McDowell ended a mostly disappointing year on a high by beating Russell Knox and Jason Bohn in a play-off to win the OHL Classic in Mexico in November
Dane Soren Kjeldsen won the Irish Open at Royal County Down in May as the tournament returned to Northern Ireland in front of packed galleries
Jamie Clarke in action as Crossmaglen of Armagh beat Monaghan champions Scotstown in the Ulster Club Football final in November
Ireland's men's hockey team secured their place at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing fifth at the World League semi-finals in July, but having to wait until October to have their qualification confirmed
The Monaghan dressing room is a happy place after the Farney County defeat Donegal in the Ulster Senior Football final in July
Antrim beat Down by a single point in the Ulster Senior Hurling final in July
