‘From the bottom of my heart, thank you Ballyhaunis,’ said Mayo Captain Jack Coyne at the homecoming

THOUSANDS swarmed the town of Ballyhaunis to welcome the Mayo GAA men’s team home.

The men were flooded with supporters dying to have a moment with the celebrated Mayo team.

A croaky-voiced Jack Coyne - who hails from Ballyhaunis - thanked “everyone who turned out for us today”.

His mother, Noreen Coyne stated that she is so proud of her son, and that he has sacrificed a lot to get to where he is.

Mayo team member Tommy Conroy told the Mayo News: “the last few days have been a bit surreal”.

“Getting back to Castlebar was probably the first proper time it sunk in, seeing maybe 60,000 odd in McHale Park. It’s the stuff you dream of since being a young fella,” he said.

The team danced to ‘We are the Champions’, and serenaded the crowd with songs from Jack Conroy and Darragh Byrne.

Andy Moran was the last to get back on the bus after an hour-long homecoming. The manager was surrounded by young fans who were eager to get signatures from the lauded Mayo great.