Olympic showjumping champion Cian O'Connor arrived home yesterday to hundreds of screaming, flag-waving fans who came to Dublin Airport to welcome their hero.
The 24-year-old flew in with the rest of the Olympic squad from Rome, with the jet taxiing to its stand exactly on schedule at 2.15 p.m.
Mr O'Connor's girlfriend, Ms Rachel Wyse, was first of the Olympic party to appear, followed immediately by the champion, who held up his gold medal for the waiting press and television cameramen.
Equestrian team manager John Ledingham was in O'Connor's wake, followed by chef d'equipe Col Ned Campion, team trainer Eddie Macken, fellow team member Kevin Babington, who finished equal fifth overall, eventing team chef d'equipe Helen Cantillon-O'Keeffe and team vet Marcus Swail.
"It's great to be back," were the gold medallist's first words to the television cameras. "I thought the plane was on fire when I saw all the police and the fire brigade."
The 24-year-old was asleep on the flight from Rome when the captain welcomed his famous passenger on board. After a 4.30 a.m. start, it was only the cheers from his fellow passengers that woke O'Connor.
First to greet him was his cousin and godchild, nine-year-old Kyle Mullen. His father Tadhg, mother Louise Mullen, his two sisters, Philippa and Susanna, and grandparents Karl and Doreen Mullen were also among the family party.
When he he faced the press, he immediately thanked his godfather, Sir Anthony O'Reilly, and his wife, Chryss, for their support over the years. The couple owns O'Connor's gold-medal winning horse, Waterford Crystal, as part of a syndicate.
Describing the win as "a Herculean achievement", the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said that the Kildare rider was following a magnificent family tradition started by rugby legend Karl Mullen.
"It is fitting that his grandson should join him on the roll of honour as a great sporting son of Ireland," Mr O'Donoghue said.
MEP Ms Avril Doyle, who spoke in her capacity as president of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland, paid tribute to the behind-the-scenes team that had played a part in O'Connor's success and publicly asked the Minister for more financial support for equestrian sports.
O'Connor said that while he was considered an outside shot, he always thought he was in with a chance.
"I thought I had a good chance of winning a medal," he said.
"I jumped a double clear at the Nations Cup in Rome and a double clear in Aachen, and I thought that if I could jump a double clear in the Olympic Games I could get a medal.
"Well I jumped a four and a clear, but it depends who you ask as to what the odds were. Some people would say I was a 100/1 shot.
"It was the most emotional moment of my life, and I felt very proud to be Irish," he said.
Over 500 supporters turned out at the airport, 120 of whom had been bussed in from Galway and Mayo.
The fans, who had been waiting for over 1½ hours, were cheering everyone who came out by the time their hero - preceded by an army piper - appeared to screams and cheers.
The entire Olympic entourage has been invited to meet the President, Mrs McAleese, at Áras an Uachtaráin on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a civic reception at Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park later in the evening, when the Taoiseach will greet them.
But O'Connor won't be resting on his laurels.
"I've got a few other horses to ride on Tuesday morning", he said. "This win only helps the plan along, it doesn't change it in any way.
"I'd like to stay in Ireland for as long as possible. Some of the lads have had to move away. My ambition for the coming weeks is to try and find new owners and sponsors to try and buy some new horses.
"As Olympic champion I'll get lots of invitations to shows, but there's no point going without the artillery."