Racing:Ireland landed its 22nd winner of the Aintree Grand National when Silver Birch was guided home over the gruelling four-and-a-half mile trip by jockey Robbie Power.
The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was pushed all the way by Slim Pickings and McKelvey, whose surge from the back of the field at the start of the home straight saw him take second place.
However, Brian Walsh's 10-year-old winner was not to be denied after jumping to the front at the second-last.
He stayed on well after The Elbow to hold off McKelvey, ridden by Tom O'Brien, and Slim Pickings, with Barry Geraghty on board. 100-1 shot Philson Run was fourth.
Silver Birch, who set out at 33-1, is the sixth Irish winner of the Aintree feature in nine years, while Elliott, at a mere 29 years of age, is the youngest trainer of the entries in the 40-strong field. Walsh is younger still, at 26.
Speaking afterwards Power told BBC Sport: "Unbelievable. What a ride I got the whole way round. He jumped and travelled great.
"Gordon was worried he wouldn't be able to lay-up early on, but it meant I was able to keep out of trouble. Fair play to Gordon, he has done a top job.
"He jumped out great and I had a look around before we got to the straight and I could see Barry (Geraghty on Slim Pickings) was travelling as well as anything else.
"Once I got to the front he did nothing. Gordon picked him up for nothing (20,000 guineas) and he looks a bargain now," said Power, who picked up a four-day ban (April 25th-28th) for using his whip with excessive frequency and in the wrong place.
Elliott claimed afterwards that there would have won in Cheltenham last month but the "weight beat him".
"We got the horse from the sales and we've tried to sweeten him up by hunting him.
"I thought he was better than he was going to Cheltenham and so did Robbie. If he had been in the first five or six we would have been delighted."
Walsh, who backed his charge at 66-1 ante-post, added: "Once he jumped the last in front I knew he wouldn't get caught, there was no chance they were going to get him."
Earlier the John Queally-trained Al Eile (12-1) won the Baltika Beer Aintree Hurdle for the second time in three years under Timmy Murphy.
It was a fine training performance from Queally as the seven-year-old had shown little form all season and missed the Cheltenham Festival after reportedly being under the weather.
But after taking up the running from Asian Maze two out, Murphy drove him out to the line to hold off the four-year-old filly Gaspara by a length and a half.
Afsoun stayed on a further three lengths away in third, but the favourite Detroit City put in another lacklustre display and was never travelling.
Murphy said: "He loves Aintree - he's fantastic. A lot of credit goes to John because the horse has not been right.
"I rode him at Fairyhouse and he was telling us he wasn't right but he's back today and 110 per cent.
"He's been a bit ring rusty really because he's not been finishing his races all season so John said to pop him out and just keep him interested."