Thousands of fans flocked to Dublin's O'Connell Street on Thursday evening, August 3 to welcome home the Irish women's soccer team after their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup campaign came to an end in Australia.
The Girls in Green finished bottom of Group B at the World Cup following narrow defeats against Australia and Canada and a goalless draw with Nigeria, but their performances highlighted their ability to compete at the highest level.
The Irish public turned out in their thousands to welcome the players and management team home outside the GPO on Thursday evening.
Unbelievable ??
Around 8,000 at the homecoming for our WNT ☘️
O’Connell Street, a brilliant venue for the event, was rocking ?#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/tIpY1coyTa
— Ireland Football ⚽️?? (@IrelandFootball) August 3, 2023
There was a huge roar when the team arrived at a specially-erected stage near the GPO.
The players and management were introduced individually in front of the 8,000-strong crowd, with each player greeted with a chorus of cheers.
What a reception our ladies got yesterday on O'Connell Street. #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/MRlQ0hPmaK
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) August 4, 2023
The crowd later broke out into a chorus of "Olé, olé, olé" once all the players had emerged on stage.
Ole ole! #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/kxiDuQbxp1
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) August 3, 2023
Irish strike Amber Barrett delivered a rousing cover of "The Wild Rover," while captain Katie McCabe addressed the crowd, answering some questions sent in by fans.
We have a singer! #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/GqZ2IzGzrS
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) August 3, 2023
Manager Vera Pauw, whose future remains uncertain in the wake of the World Cup, told the crowd that Ireland would be challenging for medals the next time they qualified for a major tournament.
#COYGIG pic.twitter.com/ehHdhb061X
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) August 3, 2023
Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan later shared a photograph of the homecoming on social media and described the Irish fans as the "best in the world."
Earlier in the day, the Irish squad gathered at the Castleknock Hotel and posed for photos with guests at a wedding taking place at the hotel.
The team received a Garda escort from the hotel to O'Connell Street for the homecoming celebrations, with some players and coaches posing for photos on Garda motorbikes.
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