Six Irish players have been selected for the 37-strong British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia this summer.
Keith Wood, Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Rob Henderson, Jeremy Davidson and Malcolm O'Kelly were named in the tour party but there was disappointment for Munster forwards John Hayes and David Wallace and Leinster winger Denis Hickie who miss out.
England second-row Martin Johnson has again been named Lions captain in a squad with 18 English, ten Welsh, six Irish and three Scottish players.
Warren Gatland was delighted to see six of his players called up for the Lions tour but insisted that, but for the postponement of three of Ireland’s five Six Nations matches, the number would have been bigger.
"Undoubtedly there might have been one or two others that may have been able to put themselves further into contention. There's Hickie, Wallace and maybe even John Hayes. Not playing any games made it more difficult for them."
Centre Brian O'Driscoll, who looks a certainty to make the Test team, said: "It's brilliant to get six of us in the squad.
"I was hopeful. I hoped I'd played in enough games to get me through and thankfully it's worked out to be the case.
"Everyone who plays rugby would like to be a Lion and I'm no different. I'm absolutely delighted."
O'Gara was also celebrating: "I'm absolutely thrilled but I feel disappointed for my Munster colleagues," said O'Gara. "It's been a terrible few days for the fellas."
"I was holding out a small bit of hope that I might be selected. I am very pleasantly surprised."
The 10-match tour starts against Western Australia in Perth on June 8th and culminates in three Tests on June 30th, July 7th and 14th.
Full-backs:I Balshaw (Bath and England), M Perry (Bath and England).
Wings: B Cohen (Northampton and England), D James (Llanelli and Wales), D Luger (Saracens and England), J Robinson (Sale and England).
Centres:M Catt (Bath and England), W Greenwood (Harlequins and England), R Henderson (Wasps and Ireland), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College and Ireland), M Taylor (Swansea and Wales).
Fly-halves:N Jenkins (Cardiff and Wales), R O'Gara (Cork Constitution and Ireland), J Wilkinson (Newcastle and England).
Scrum-halves:M Dawson (Northampton and England), A Healey (Leicester and England), R Howley (Cardiff and Wales).
Props:J Leonard (Harlequins and England), D Morris (Swansea and Wales), T Smith (Brive and Scotland), P Vickery (Gloucester and England), D Young (Cardiff and Wales).
Hookers:P Greening (Wasps and England), R McBryde (Llanelli and Wales), K Wood (Harlequins and Ireland).
Locks:J Davidson (Castres and Ireland), D Grewcock (Saracens and England), M Johnson (Leicester and England, capt), S Murray (Saracens and Scotland), M O'Kelly (St Mary's College and Ireland).
Back-row:N Back (Leicester and England), C Charvis (Swansea and Wales), L Dallaglio (Wasps and England), R Hill (Saracens and England), S Quinnell (Llanelli and Wales), S Taylor (Edinburgh and Scotland), M Williams (Cardiff and Wales).