It's going to be one of those nights

The Irish soccer team is in for a treat tonight. 50,000 soccer fans have so far gathered at the Phoenix Park to pay homage to their returning heroes.

Speaking from the Park, Conor Donovan 26 from Drumcondra said: "This has been a remarkable tournament for us the team has come of age. They deserve this."

My girlfriend is expecting so were going to call him Damien after the Duffer Ireland fan Sean Cassidy

John Plunkett and Anne Richardson described the atmosphere as the best times seen since the heady days of Italia 90. "It’s truly a marvellous occasion there is a great atmosphere. They deserved to go further than Suwon."

Some fans such as Noel Ryan from Kilkenny had an arduous journey today. "It took us four hours to get here but I said to the wife this morning that we had to go. These boys deserve our support."

Dublin couple Sean Cassidy and Jennifer Monroe hope to name there first child after one of Ireland’s star performers: "My girlfriend is expecting so were going to call him Damien after the Duffer," says Sean.

And finally, Nualla Dowling from Naas Kildare had only a few words to say about it all: "it's going to be one of those nights to remember."