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In pics: Emotional scenes as Ireland's Paralympic heroes return home

A night to savour as the athletes were reunited with their families.

IRELAND’S TOKYO 2020 Paralympians returned home to a hero’s welcome late last night.

Having won four golds medals, two silvers and a bronze, the Team Ireland athletes who stayed until the end of the Games were re-united with family and friends at Dublin Airport (Jason Smyth, the fastest Paralympian on the planet, arrived back to Belfast last week after winning gold.)

And as always, there were emotional scenes in the arrivals hall. There were cheers, tears and applause as the athletes came through the doors and a guard of honour was formed.

And the pictures are just magic.

nicole-turner-gary-oreilly-ellen-keane-katie-george-dunlevy-and-eve-mccrystal-arrive-home Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-katie-george-dunlevy-and-eve-mccrystal-are-greeted-as-they-arrive-home Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Golden Girls! Tandem cyclists Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal celebrate their two gold medals and one silver

atie-george-dunlevy-and-eve-mccrystal-are-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

katie-george-dunlevy-and-eve-mccrystal-with-their-two-gold-medals-and-one-silver-medal-won-at-the-2020-paralympic-games-in-tokyo Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

atie-george-dunlevy-and-eve-mccrystal-are-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Ellen Keane’s family reunion was a special one, after she won gold in the 100m breaststroke at her fourth Paralympic Games

ellen-keane-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

ellen-keane-arrives-home Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

And it was all smiles for Nicole Turner and her family, the 19-year-old having clinched a silver medal in the 50-metre butterfly

nicole-turner-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Likewise, for hand cyclist Gary O Reilly, who returned home from his first Paralympics with a bronze medal

gary-oreilly-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

gary-oreilly-is-greeted-by-family-members Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

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