Shane Lowry says he is overwhelmed by the number of people who turned out for his homecoming this evening.
Thousands of people gathered Clara in Co Offaly for a special reception for the Open champion.
The event included performances by singer Mundy and impressionist Conor Moore.
The man of the moment has arrived on stage! Clara welcomes Shane Lowry! pic.twitter.com/h3EDXGVUXt
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) July 23, 2019
On Sunday Lowry became only the fifth Irish golfer in 148 years to win the championship, after a six-shot victory at Royal Portrush.
Addressing the crowd on the Green in Clara, Shane said he never dreamed of this happening in his home town.
He said: "It's incredible... I didn't know if I was good enough to win something like this, so I never did think I'd have something like this in Clara.
"The only thing I've seen like this before is when they win a county championship and they come and march through the town.
"I'm fairly overwhelmed at the minute, because I can't believe what's going on. It's been a mad few days."
She mightn’t be Rihanna but she’s as good as! Shane’s Granny Emily serenading the crowd 😍 pic.twitter.com/bJShqTtWsO
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) July 23, 2019
Locals, meanwhile, said Clara people are feeling very proud this evening.
One woman told Newstalk's Shane Beatty: "There's been such a buzz around the town. Even people that don't support golf that much.
"Everyone's coming out, in their thousands, to support him. You have to support your own."
One man suggested Shane Lowry's victory will do "a world of good" for young golfers, male and female, by helping challenge the "snobbery" that has surrounded the sport in the past.
Main image: Shane Lowry with the Claret Jug during the homecoming event at Clara GAA, Clara in County Offaly. Picture by: Donall Farmer/PA Wire/PA Images
Reporting by Shane Beatty and Stephen McNeice
