PHOTO SPECIAL: Celebrating our Olympic heroes

Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy wave to the crowds on the streets of Skibbereen for the homecoming parade. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Skibbereen was thronged with well-wishers and supporters who turned out to welcome home the town’s Olympic heroes Paul O’Donovan, Fintan McCarthy, Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey last Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Skibbereen was thronged with well-wishers who flocked to welcome the rowers home. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Olympic gold medallists Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy taking time to sign autographs for young fans after the official reception in Skibbereen. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

A young fan giving her heroes the ‘thumbs-up’ (Photo: Andy Gibson)

These supporters took up a great, eye-level, vantage point with the Olympians as they passed through Skibbereen in an open-top bus (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Tánaiste Micheál Martin addressing the crowd. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Members of Ballingeary Pipe Band, which formed part of the parade, along with Skibbereen’s own St Fachtna’s Silver Band, are swallowed up in the masses. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Pupils from Kilcoe National School Ina O’Driscoll, Emma O’Driscoll, Roisín Harte and Izzy Hoff man reading a specially composed poem for the rowers. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Dominic Casey, coach, and also father of Aoife Casey speaking onstage. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Some of the pupils from Lisheen National School who performed a song entitled ‘Thank you for the Joy’ which they had specially written for the rowers. They sang it before a crowd of thousands on stage at the Fairfield on Sunday afternoon, in front of their Olympic rowing heroes. (Photo from Holly Cairns on Instagram)

The Skibbereen crowd enjoying the special homecoming for their Olympic heroes. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Paul and Fintan received specially made teddy bears to mark their historic win at the Paris Olympics. (Photos: Anne Minihane)

Tess Connolly and Marie Carey were getting ready for the welcome home party in Skibbereen. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

TD Michael Collins at the homecoming. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

All smiles for Skibbereen Rowing Club's Olympic heroes at the Church Restaurant. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Enjoying the welcome home parade for the Olympic heroes were Sarah McCarthy, Emma Connolly and Rosie Harte. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Ina Deasy and her daughter Christine Deasy-Cronin waiting for the homecoming parade to start. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

David Puttnam at the Skibbereen homecoming with his grand-daughter. (Photo: Karlis Dzjamko)

SD councillor Isobel Towse with party leader Holly Cairns. (Photo: Karlis Dzjamko)

Aoife, Paul, Fintan and Emily on the open top bus on Sunday (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey being interviewed by RTÉ's Teresa Mannion. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Bishop Paul Colton and his wife Susan with Bishop Fintan Galvin. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

TD Christopher O'Sullivan with Tánaiste Micheál Martin who was interviewed on Main Street before the homecoming. (Photo: Karlis Dzjamko)

The impressive poster at Permanent TSB.

Eve Buckley, Castlehaven and Leah Ryan, Skibbereen at the special homecoming parade for the Olympians. (Photo; Anne Minihane)

Thank you to all our West Cork Olympians.

Thank you ... for exciting the nation, for inspiring future generations, for making us proud, for all the training/long hours/sweat/pain/tears that you’ve put in over the years, for giving us a reason to shout and cheer at the ‘telly’ (computer or phone), for helping us come to work with a spring in our step and a smile on our face, for putting the best of West Cork on show to the world.

On behalf of our readers, the people of West Cork and everyone in Ireland, well done, you are an inspiration.