‘Yiz are all legends’ – Kellie Harrington cries tears of joy after emotional homecoming

Kellie Harrington cried tears of joy as she returned home a hero on Monday night. 

Ireland’s double Olympic Champion was afforded a double homecoming, firstly being presented to a huge crowd on O’Connell Street along with all the other Olympians, before getting a more personal reception in the Inner City. 

Harrington, who put in a host of brilliant performances to successfully defend her Olympic lightweight title in Paris to become the only Irish boxer to contest and win back-to-back Olympic finals, was given a personal parade in Dublin’s north inner city.

The 34-year-old became emotional as she was greeted by friends, family and fans upon m aking her way through the streets surrounding her native Portland Row.

Wearing her two gold medals, she wiped away tears of joy as she travelled down Sean McDermott Street from Diamond Park towards the Five Lamps

 Taking to the stage on Killarney Street the Dubliner treated the crowd to a dance and said :

“This just means the world to me.“I just want to say thank you to absolutely every one of you for all the support.“I just hope that all the kids, teenagers and young adults have seen that hard work and dedication, the highs and the many lows – it gives you the heart and the grit to understand that we can do anything we set our minds to.“But you have to work for it, and you have to work hard.”