Ireland's top darts players

What was once the preserve of working men’s clubs and pubs up and down the country has become a global phenomenon in the last three decades.

The emergence of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in the mid-nineties saw the sport grow to become the spectacle it is today. Fireworks, walk-ons, fancy dress, and some of the top sportsmen on the planet have made darts the hottest ticket in town.

That was all before the emergence of the newest sporting sensation in Luke “The Nuke” Littler. Littler has brought even more eyes to the sport all over the globe. Not long after his PDC World Championship win at the age of 17, the organisation announced that prize money for winning the sport’s biggest tournament will now stand at £1 million.

Such is the size of the business of darts these days that it’s one of the top markets at the bookmakers, alongside the likes of football. A full calendar of events provides bettors even more chances to wager on their favourite player or, for the shrewder bettor, the tournament favourite. Sites such as the trusted Irishluck provide a range of reputable sites for those looking to take their interest in darts and make it even more exciting by placing wagers.

But in this new global age of the sport, just where does Ireland stand, and are there players from the island that can go on to dominate the sport in the future?

Ireland’s Place in Darts History

Before looking to the future, it’s important to look to the past to see where Ireland stands in the world of darts. The first PDC World Championship—then known as the WDC World Championship—saw Tom Kirby of County Kildare make the quarter-finals, his best finish in the tournament. Kirby was the first Irish player to play for the breakaway organisation, and his rebel spirit was recognised by the PDC upon his death in 2008 when the Irish Matchplay was renamed the Tom Kirby Memorial Trophy. The winner of the event gets to walk in Kirby’s footsteps as they qualify for the PDC World Championship.

Every darts fan knows that the Singapore Slinger Paul Lim threw the first-ever nine-darter in a world championship. That feat came in the second round of the 1990 British Darts Organisation (BDO) World Championship, but it’s not very well known who was on the receiving end of Lim’s epic achievement. That man was Jack McKenna, who, like Tom Kirby, is also from County Kildare. McKenna’s professional darts career began in 1974, but even in 2002, he was reaching the last 16 of major tournaments as he battled hard at that year’s World Grand Prix held in Dublin. Ultimately, McKenna was bested by that year’s winner, the impenetrable Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.

Josh Rock—The Rocky Road to the Top

Josh “Rocky” Rock from County Antrim was darts’ bright young thing before Luke Littler arrived on the scene. Rock followed in the footsteps of future PDC World Champions Michael Smith and Luke Humphries when he captured the PDC World Youth Championship crown in 2022, one year before Little claimed the same title.

The 24-year-old is the current world number 14, a ranking helped greatly by his journey to the semi-final of the 2025 UK Open. Rock defeated Justin Hood, Ross Smith, Rob Cross, and Nathan Aspinall on his way to the last four before he was unexpectedly swept aside 11–2 by James Wade. Still, it is the furthest Rock has been in a televised major tournament and is sure to have him hungry for more success.

During his career, Josh Rock has won four Players Championship events and made his breakthrough on the European Tour in 2022 when he captured the Dutch Darts Championship. Rock has the tools at his disposal to make a strong crack at the top ten for the rest of 2025, and strong showings in TV tournaments could see him climb his way into contention for an elusive Premier League place in 2026.

Brendan Dolan—the History Maker

From one of Ireland’s youngest rising stars to a veteran of the darts world, County Fermanagh’s Brendan Dolan. At 51 years old, Dolan is the current number 34 in the PDC world rankings, but the key to his success has been his consistency over the years.

Dolan earned his “History Maker” nickname during the World Grand Prix in Dublin. The World Grand Prix is a double-start tournament, meaning players must hit a double to both start and finish each leg. This format makes the likelihood of nine-dart finishes almost an impossibility. But the key word is almost.

In 2011, Brendan Dolan hit a nine-darter in the semi-final of the tournament against James Wade and, in doing so, became the first man to hit a televised nine-darter in a double-start tournament. Dolan won his semi-final but lost in the final of the event to Phil Taylor as The Power struck again.

That result continues to be Dolan’s best in televised major tournaments, but at an age where most players are being edged out by enthusiastic youngsters, Brendan Dolan battles on. In 2019 and 2024, Dolan reached the quarter-finals of the PDC World Championship—his best performance in that tournament.

Daryl Gurney—Superchin

Ireland’s most successful darts player is Derry’s Daryl Gurney. Affectionately known as “Superchin”, Gurney went a step further than Brendan Dolan in 2017 when he was able to capture the World Grand Prix title with a 5–4 victory over Simon Whitlock. The Players Championship Finals’ crown followed in 2018, and many predicted plenty more championship trophies would soon adorn Superchin’s mantelpiece.

However, in recent years, Gurney has struggled to make it count at the top tournaments. Since his quarter-final appearance at the PDC World Championship in 2021, he’s failed to make it past the fourth round of darts’ biggest tournament.

Gurney made it to the quarter-finals of the 2024 Masters, but his inclusion only came through the withdrawal of Josh Rock, and he only won one match in that competition before being narrowly defeated by Nathan Aspinall. Steady improvements have seen Gurney climb back to number 25 in the world, and at 39 years old, there is still plenty of time for him to live up to his true darting potential.

William O’Connor—The Magpie

Limerick’s William O’Connor might go under the radar in the global game, but those in the know are well aware that The Magpie is a serious player. O’Connor is currently ranked number 47 in the PDC Order of Merit, with a run to the sixth round of the 2025 UK Open, adding £10,000 to his prize money for the season.

O’Connor won the Tom Kirby Memorial Trophy in 2017, following that win up in 2019 with a Players Championship victory. The Magpie’s best run in a ranking TV event came in 2022 when he made it all the way to the semi-finals of the UK Open.

However, O’Connor’s closest brush with success on the big stage came at the 2019 PDC World Cup when he represented Ireland alongside Steve Lennon. Ireland put out hot favourites England, as well as the reigning champions, the Netherlands, before falling at the last hurdle against Scotland, who won the tournament.

Shane McGuirk—Ireland’s World Champion

In the history of the PDC and BDO, Ireland has never had a finalist in the world championship. But with the World Darts Federation stepping in when the BDO folded, Irish eyes were well and truly smiling in 2024.

The WDF is separated from the PDC ranks and runs its own events under its own banner. While the world’s top players battle it out in the PDC, many of them started their careers either in the defunct BDO or the WDF.

County Monaghan’s Shane McGuirk has captured the FCD Anniversary Open and the Irish Open during his career, where he has split his time between the WDF and PDC. In late 2024, McGuirk’s career on the oche took a dramatic turn when he captured the WDF World Championship, becoming the first Irish player to ever capture a darts world title. McGuirk defeated Paul Lim in the final, 6–3, to take home the £50,000 prize.

Such was McGuirk’s dominance in the tournament, the three sets he lost to Lim in the final were the only three he lost during the whole competition.

Looking Ahead

While football fans might be looking forward to a summer break and finding out who the next Real Madrid manager will be, the darts season never stops, and in the PDC, there are plenty of Irish stars to get behind.

Josh Rock’s breakthrough to the upper echelons of the sport seems to be a matter of when rather than if, while Brendan Dolan’s consistency and calm under pressure indicate he could be back among the final rounds of any tournament.

Shane McGuirk’s achievement in the WDF should not be overlooked, and should he make the jump to the PDC full-time, Ireland could have another top talent on their hands moving forward to help the game continue to grow in the country. It’s a great time for darts in Ireland, and it seems that the best is still yet to come.