A large crowd gathered and people collecting their bags from the carouses stopped and clapped as the newly elected president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, was welcomed to Cork airport yesterday by a lone piper.
It was "a lovely end to an extraordinary week", he said.
Constituency colleagues were at the airport as was his mother, Ellen. The VIP lounge was put at his disposal as a stretch limo waited outside for him.
Mr Cox said he would remain firmly rooted in Munster as an MEP and would not "lose the run of myself" despite all the paraphernalia that would come with the job. First and foremost, he would remember that the people of Munster had elected him to Europe and that his "day job" was to serve them.
Messages of support and congratulations had flooded in from leaders all over Europe, among them the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, who invited him to 10 Downing Street. A message from the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, had been received while she was on honeymoon in Africa.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and colleagues from various European political parties, had also sent their good wishes.
