August 12, 2024: Irish Olympic medallist Mona McSharry at the homecoming event at Dublin's GPO on O'Connell Street.RollingNews.ie

Dublin City Center was absolutely hopping on Monday as it warmly welcomed home members of Team Ireland after the country's most successful Olympic ever.

Irish Olympic medallists Kellie Harrington, Daniel Wiffen, Mona McSharry, Rhys McClenaghan, Fintan McCarthy, Philip Doyle, and Daire Lynch were among the Irish athletes who were rightly treated to a hero's welcome home in Dublin on Monday.

With seven medals - four Golds and three Bronzes - Ireland enjoyed its most successful Olympics ever. The haul also landed them in an impressive 19th place overall on the Paris 2024 medal table.

The celebrations kicked off on Monday morning as Irish athletes touched down at Dublin Airport aboard an Aer Lingus flight from Paris.

The occasion didn’t pass without a few classic photo ops.

Waiting for Team Ireland at Dublin Airport was a crowd of fans who delivered an enthusiastic welcome home.

From Dublin Airport, Team Ireland was driven to O’Connell Street by Dublin Bus for Dublin’s first-ever civic reception for Olympic athletes.

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The free homecoming reception, which was announced last week, was hosted at the GPO. According to reports, more than 20,000 fans descended upon the area for the open-air event.

Addressing the crowds on Monday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said Ireland's athletes had done the country "so proud" and that their performance at the Olympics had "lifted our spirits."

He said: "There has been very little work done in this country for the last fortnight because every opportunity we have had, we have all been glued to our screens.

"And on your behalf, I just want to say a massive thank you to these men and women who have inspired our nation. Go raith mile maith agat.

"We have talked a lot about lighting flames and lighting Olympic flames but really what these men and women have done is they have lit a flame in all of the young people right across Ireland.

"I have met so many little tiny kids, including my own, and see so many here today who now believe that they too can be the very best in the world. That they can represent Ireland. They can win medals. That’s what they have done."

August 12, 2024: Crowds at Dublin's GPO welcome home Team Ireland after the Paris 2024 Olympics. (RollingNews.ie)

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Irish Olympian Phil Healy, who was part of the Women’s 4x400m relay team with Sophie Becker, Sharlene Mawdsley, and Rhasidat Adeleke that narrowly missed a medal on Saturday, was shocked by the size of the crowd.

“It’s actually crazy,” Healy said on stage.

“When we landed in Dublin Airport this morning, just seeing the reception here - we did not expect this many people to turn out here today, so thank you to everybody for coming along to support us.”

Becker admitted: “When I heard there was a homecoming I thought it was like when you have your birthday party and you’re scared no one’s going to show up, that’s what I thought, so thank you all so much.

“You know, we got snippets of what it was like at home when we were racing, but nothing compares to actually seeing everybody here supporting us.

"Thank you so much.”

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The homecoming was doubly sweet for boxer Kellie Harrington, who grew up on Portland Row, not far from where the reception was staged.

Having won Gold in Paris, Harrington made history by becoming the first Irish female athlete to not only win medals at two Olympic Games, but to win two Gold medals.

Addressing the homecoming event at the GPO, Harrington said: "We're a small nation, but we're a mighty nation. And we'll fight and we'll keep on fighting. That's why we are who we are."

After the reception event at the GPO, Harrington was treated to another emotional homecoming when she returned to Portland Row where she was met with great fanfare.

Donning a green Ireland top and her brand-new Gold medal, a tearful Harrington said: "I genuinely didn't expect this.

"But I don't know why I didn't expect it because we're just bleedin' brilliant."