The expected home-coming celebrations next week for Ireland’s Olympic heros have been postponed.

They were due to go-ahead on Monday – but now they’ve been put on ice, because athletes say they want to spend some private time with their families first.

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council says after sounding out the feelings of athletes in the Team Ireland camp – it’s been decided to postpone Monday’s planned celebratory events.

There were plans for Ireland’s Olympic heroes to parade through the streets of Dublin on an open-top bus, but Dublin City Council says its been told the athletes want to spend some private time with their families.

Many of them haven’t seen their loved ones for more than 3 weeks.

It’s still unknown when the official home-coming will take place – but it’s understood the Government is planning to hold a reception for the athletes sometime next week at Farmleigh House in Dublin.