Those magnificent men of this week in Co Offaly are not the ones who brought the McCarthy Cup home through the back door from Croke Park last week.
No, they are the magnificent men in their flying machines who have been flying high and low from Birr, celebrating the ballooning fraternity's annual get-together.
The 26 balloons taking part in the 28th annual Irish Hot Air Balloon Meeting have been colouring the airspace over the Offaly town this week.
A magnificent sight they are, too, taking off at dawn to participate in their sport, floating out over the bogs and the Shannon, dropping down occasionally to chat to people on the ground.
The event, sponsored by Birr Chamber of Commerce and the Ely O'Carroll tourist organisation, has attracted competitors from the US, Scotland and England, as well as the eight Irish balloons. The consensus is that the flatlands around Birr provide the best place for ballooning in the country. Manus Hingerty, the balloonists' spokesman, said the visitors had been enthralled with the location because of the lack of obstacles in the area.
"There are no motorways running through the flight areas, there are no large mountains and the bogs and the River Shannon provide ideal places for us to do what we want.
"Most of the visitors who come here would not be used to having such space to fly in. There are no major built-up areas, like in the UK, and few powerlines," he said.
"The weather has been ideal for us, too, with the exception of some early-morning mist. The winds have been kind, and we are having great sport."
Manus likenend the annual Irish event to the Tall Ships event, where prizes are given to those who enter into the spirit of the event rather than the very serious competitors.
"Most of the people who are flying here this week from abroad are taking part in serious competitions all year and they enjoy coming over and taking part in a more leisurely way," he said.
"I suppose that is why this Irish Hot Air Balloon meeting is the longest-running competition of its kind in the world and why we have attracted people from abroad to the event." he said.
During the week the balloonists have been practising their skills by playing "Hare and Hounds", a competition where one balloonist is given a five-minute start before being chased by the pack.
Another competition involves landing as close as possible to a pre-selected site and "The Hesitation Waltz", where the balloonists try to fly the least possible distance in a given time. This competition is held on calm days and lasts for 45 minutes.
They have also indulged themselves in a competition that involves collecting leaves from as many different trees as possible and they had a successful "Splash and Dash" competition in the Shannon, where they flew very low to splash their baskets into the water.
But, according to Manus, the favourite event this week was "Bog Hopping", when the balloonists practise take-offs and landings in the bogs around Birr.
"There is a bit of give in a bog, and it is very good for young trainee pilots. We are having lots of fun doing that this week," he said.
"It has been a great location, and we may keep the championships here for a few years. That is a decision which we have yet to make."
Flying continues from Birr Airfield from 7.30 a.m., with flights again this evening at 6.30 p.m. and at the same times tomorrow.