The cries of "Olé, Olé, Olé" had been under way for several hours as Team Ireland was finally led by piper Michael Russell into Dublin Airport arrivals halls today, just after 1.20pm.
There were Irish flags being waved furiously, Irish flags being worn as scarves, green sparkly cow-boy hats, green, white and orange inflatable hammers, green jerseys, t-shirts bearing home-made 'Well done!' slogans and banner after banner declaring variously: "Well done Caitríona", and "Golden Boy Fergal", "Welcome home Lorraine" and "Congratulations Denise on winning silver!".
About 800 people had come from all over the island to welcome home the 126 athletes and 49 coaches of Team Ireland who returned from the 2011 Special Olympics in Athens.
The team returned with an impressive cache of 107 medals and dozens of place ribbons in 12 sports - aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, kayaking and table-tennis.
Among those waiting were Dennis and Helen O'Leary, who had travelled from Killarney, Co Kerry to welcome their son 'Seve' Michael who had been competing in golf.
"Oh you have no idea how excited we all are," said Mr O'Leary. "He has been training hard for the past five years. He's been a great pitch-and-putt player since he was a young fella and then got into the golf.
"We set off at 7am this morning."
When he arrived in, the tall, dark Kerryman of few words, said he had got on "fine" at the games. Asked what his plans were for the next few days, he said: "Sleep and a barbecue."
Joyce Haughian, from Warrenpoint, Co Down, brought home two silver and and one gold medal for bowling.
"It was an absolutely fantastic, the best experience of my life. There was a lot of training before. I had to get through the regional and the Ireland games and then the World games in Athens," she said, smiling broadly. Asked about the reception at the airport, she said it was "a big, big shock, brilliant".
Her plans for the next few days? "To celebrate," she said.
Her mother, Catherine, also described her daughter's achievements in Athens as "fantastic".
"It is so wonderful to see our athletes getting the recognition they deserve. When Joyce was born well no I never thought I'd be welcoming her home from the Olympics. I have cried over the past few weeks. It's wonderful and unbelievable and the whole of Warrenpoint is looking forward to welcoming our heroine home this evening."
Paul Kenny, from Ballymanus, Co Wicklow, won medals in soccer and scored two goals in Athens.
"It was very good over there. I didn't think there'd be this many people here when I got home. The thing I need now is sleep."
The team was welcomed home by Minister of State for Sport, Michael Ring, described the athletes as "the most wonderful ambassadors for your country, in every possible way.
"We are very proud of you," he said.
