The 42-year-old businessman who was trapped in China since November, Mr Gerard Deasy, has paid tribute to the people who supported him during his ordeal.
As he posed for photographs on the tarmac of Kerry Airport on Saturday afternoon, Independent TD Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and Garda James O'Brien, a neighbour and friend, were high on his list.
He is to meet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and from the Department of Justice later this week.
Mr Dick Spring, the former Kerry TD and minister for foreign affairs, also assisted him, advising Mr Deasy directly on procedure.
Mr Deasy has received clearance to go back to China. He is anxious to retain business links with the country he has visited six times.
He had already been in China for two months and was due to return home when his passport was confiscated in the city of Shenyang, near the North Korean border.
He was accused of not fulfilling commitments to students recruited for his language school, Eurolang Ltd. Mr Deasy claims he was "set up".
Financially, having to stay in China without being able to work effectively, had been an "extremely big loss", Mr Deasy said. The man who had a chicken sandwich for Christmas Day said: "It's great to be back."
His wife Teresa, a Spanish national, said this week had been the longest ever. "It was waiting and waiting. The children \ asking when is he coming, when is he coming."