Rapturous welcome for boys in blue

Tie some blue ribbons round the great trophy, it’s been 16 long years and, yes, they still want it.

Sam, the long-lusted after silverware, was proudly shown off tonight by a beaming Bryan Cullen, captain of the capital’s favourite sons, to about 30,000 faithful who packed into Merrion Square.

In the park across the road there is a statue of Oscar Wilde who once declared:  "The world is divided into two classes - those who believe the incredible and those who do the improbable”.

Tonight, the young heroes who did the improbable were hailed by those who hardly dared believe the incredible until an unfazed Stephen Cluxton calmly walked the length of Croke Park on Sunday evening to kick their hopes out of the gutter and into the stars.

The elegant Georgian square was an ocean of blue as Dublin partied. Close to the former home at No 58 of a great Kerry man, Daniel O’Connell, they roared and sang, banged bodhrans and shed a few tears as they celebrated the end of their football famine.

From all over Dublin, they came. From Cabra and the Coombe, Ringsend and Rialto, Phibsboro and Portobello, the blue army trekked to pay homage. Children who had never tasted the sweetness of ousting Kerry in an all-Ireland final rocked beside parents and grandparents who last supped from the delicious chalice in 1995.

Fresh from a reception at the Mansion House, the team with manager Pat Gilroy and their key backroom support came on stage just after 7pm to be feted.

A replay of Dublin’s glorious moments from the final, RTE’s Des Cahill, Lord Mayor Alex Montague and Dublin GAA Chairman Andy Kettle had whipped the crowd into a frenzy before the boys in blue strode onto the stage to be worshipped. A chorus of “Stevo” hailed the wonder goalie.

When Des teasingly asked: “You want to see Sam?” the answer was a deafening: “Yeah!”

Bryan Cullen seized the trophy and the moment: “This is a great day for the whole team, a great day for all of us.” The roars intensified when Pat Gilroy declared: “Homework is off!” and Alan Brogan couldn’t resist running across the stage and throwing the cup in the air.

Supersub Kevin McManamon delighted the crowd with a song made up earlier, immortalising “Stevo” with the lines: “He plays football with ease..has no bother with the frees.”

Ger Brennan, McManamon warbled, “still hasn’t been to bed, he looks like Mr Potato Head.”

Kevin Nolan couldn’t stop smiling as Des got 30,000 people to sing “Happy birthday” to mark his attaining 23 years today.

“Thank you all for coming out, we really appreciate it,” he told the delirious crowd.

Ray Boyne and David Hickey showed the talent of the backroom team extends beyond football when they sang Rare Auld Times and the Auld Triangle. The squad, arms around each other's shoulders, joined in with gusto and smiled and bounced on stage like school-children. "Up The Dubs," they roared.

The last word went to that great Dubliner, Mickey Whelan. “Let’s hear it for Dublin, All-Ireland Champions,” he urged. “This team loves you, this cup is for you.”