There for so many of this country's happiest sporting memories, RTÉ's George Hamilton was on hand to see Ireland's hockey stars confirm their place in the 2018 World Cup final this afternoon.
In a beautiful, seemingly spontaneous burst of pure emotion, Hamilton captured the magnitude of what had been achieved, and the collective joy that all of those watching today's semi-final were feeling in unison:
Ireland are in the World Cup final! That is incredible, this is the moment, 2018 is the year ... the Green Army march on, Ireland are in the final of the World Cup, and that has never, ever, ever happened anywhere else before.
Ireland ... Ireland are in the final of the World Cup. The football boys got to the quarters, the rugby men got there too, but these women have pushed the boundaries.
On a day that will be remembered forever in Irish sport, there is something appropriate and fitting that Hamilton, who has guided so many through the highs and lows of Irish sport, was there to commentate.
IRELAND ARE INTO THE #HWC2018 WORLD CUP FINAL!!!!!!! #RTEsport #GreenMachine pic.twitter.com/Iwiaw86kqH
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 4, 2018
