An estimated 15,000 Kilkenny fans have turned out in the Mable City this evening to welcome home the new All-Ireland hurling champions.

Having celebrated into the early hours at the CityWest Hotel last night, Brian Cody's all-conquering team arrived by bus into Castle Park shortly after 4pm before boarding an open-top bus to Nowlan Park where a stage had been specially erected.

There, manager Brian Cody paid tribute to Henry Shefflin, who yesterday became the first player in the history of the GAA to win 10 All-Ireland senior medals.

"It is only right that I should mention the achievement of Henry yesterday," he said.

"To win 10 All-Ireland medals on the field of play is something that was never done before.

"It's very, very tempting when you are in these situations to say it will never be done again, but already there is players queuing up behind him to make sure it will be done again. We look forward to seeing it happen again in the very, very near future. Henry has created history, but more importantly than that he has been a magnificent player and a magnificent leader going back to when he started playing."

The homecoming also honoured the All-Ireland winning Kilkenny minor team and the Kilkenny senior and intermediate camogie teams, which lost their recent All-Ireland finals, while Kilkenny city was also feted following its recent Tidy Towns Award.

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