Tears and olés for returning warriors

AIRPORT WELCOME:TRAVELLERS FROM far-flung corners of the world stopped in their tracks on Saturday to join rosy-cheeked revellers just back from Edinburgh to watch the return of the Leinster team to the Dublin airport arrivals hall.

Harriett McDonagh (6) from Clonskeagh waved a Leinster flag taller than herself. She was there to meet her dad from Edinburgh, but was really hoping to see Felipe Contepomi, and was his “number one fan”.

Also waving a flag was 12-year-old Claudine James. She had just flown back with her family from a Communion in London and was refusing to go home until she saw the team.

Seasoned rugby fan Cecil Whelan hoped to convince his wife to wait for the team to arrive when she came in from Tunisia. Mr Whelan praised outhalf Johnny Sexton – “unbelievable”.

Many returning fans spoke of the 23-year-old Dubliner. “Johnny Sexton was a big ‘if’ but he came through,” said returning supporter Pat O’Connell.

Hoarse and emotional returning fan Peter Griffin had been up since 5am. “I was crying and I don’t remember the last time I cried.

“I have seen the Grand Slam and the All-Ireland Final and today was the most incredible thing I have ever seen,” he said.

Claps, screams and whistles drowned out announcements as the triumphant but tired team walked through the arrival doors shortly after 11.30pm.

The biggest roar came for captain Leo Cullen holding the silver Heineken Cup. “It’s great to be home,” he said as he boarded the bus. “It has been an amazing year, and has been fantastically tough at times, but we got there in the end and it’s very satisfying.”

At midnight in a packed Kiely’s pub in Donnybrook, fans were getting a second wind in the hope the team would drop by.

“It reminds me of the soccer world cup going back to 1990, it was unbelievable,” said pub owner Pat Cremin adding that it was busy all day, particularly as there was a free pint promised when Leinster won.

Was this better than the Grand Slam? “I always remember Munster fans saying it was a much bigger thing to win the Heineken Cup than if Ireland won the Grand Slam. I never believed them, now I understand,” said Leinster fan Trisha O’Neill.

The fans at Kiely’s got to show their passion as hooker Bernard Jackman arrived holding the cup. A celebratory medley through Olé Olé to Molly Malone broke out.

There were hundreds of hands in the air as champagne was sprayed and people stood on tables to catch a glimpse of the silver prize. One woman started shouting “I touched it, I touched it” while another man could be heard boasting to friends of kissing the cup.

Outside the pub hung a mock- up “Fianna Blue” election poster of Bernard Jackman reading “a lot won, a lot more to win”. But as so many fans pointed out, Irish rugby has now won it all.