Several thousand supporters turned up at the RDS to welcome home the Heineken Cup champions, Leinster.
The players came on stage just after 4pm to rapturous applause from a crowd that had been gathering for the previous two hours. There was a particularly loud welcome for Johnny Sexton who took the winning penalty nine minutes from the end of the final.
The squad was missing Brian O'Driscoll and his three Lions tour team mates who have already set out for South Africa.
There was a family atmosphere at the RDS and the bouncy castles and ice-cream vans were doing a busy trade in the sunshine.
Captain Leo Cullen paid tribute to his fellow players and to the supporters who stuck with the team. "I think our families, and all the support we get from them, makes such a massive difference and full credit to them for putting up with our moods throughout the year," he said.
Felipe Contepomi, who didn't play due to injury, told the crowd the victory was "definitely" the best moment of his six years in Ireland.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen earlier extended his congratulations to the team for its achievement which he said "capped a golden year for Irish rugby".
Mr Cowen said: “I want to extend warm congratulations to the entire Leinster squad on a fantastic achievement.
“This season has been a golden year for Irish rugby and today’s victory is another special sporting moment. Everyone in the country will take great pride in the fact that a side from our shores are now the European Champions once again."
“This honour is well deserved as the team have displayed courage, commitment, a real will to win and, of course, fantastic rugby skills all season," he said.
Leinster were crowned champions in Edinburgh yesterday after they beat the fancied Leicester Tigers by 19 points to 16.
