Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald, along with captain Patrick Donnellan and fellow players David McInerney, Padraic Collins, Colin Ryan, Pat O'Connor and Brendan Bugler arrived at the hospital on Dublin's Southside after 11am for the customary All-Ireland champions post final visit.

[comment]Six-month-old Emma Monahan and her mother Sinead, from Sligo, meet Davy Fitzgerald with the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy[/comment]

Fitzgerald says a visit to the Childrens Hospital puts everything in perspective.

"It would actually melt you, to tell you the truth," he said.

"We think we were under pressure yesterday, and I've just come out of being with a little boy from Wexford, and he spent hours in the operating theatre yesterday.

"It puts it all in perspective, so it does and I often say that to the lads, to go out and express themselves and enjoy it. There's other things in life that are tougher and you can see that when you come in here.

"This isn't a hard job. When you do something like yesterday and to be able to come out here today, it really puts everything back into perspective for you. No matter who you are, you would have to soften unreal when you come in here.

"Certainly I'm delighted to be able to come out here this morning, and when I said it to the lads I had a line of them queuing up. That's the type of lads they are.

"You see we have a rake of lads here this morning, it just isn't one or two that turned up and I had to stop maybe five or six more of them from coming."

Tulla defender David McInerney was delighted to help bring a smile to the children's faces, with the visit.

"It's really nice to visit here," he said.

"It is a great hospital and it is really good for the kids. It's great to see them, and that they are happy to see the cup and a few of the players. It's really, really nice."

Forward Padraic Collins says he still has to come to terms with the win.

"It's kind of surreal, it hasn't really sunk in yet," the Cratloe clubman said.

"My aunt and everyone has been texting me, and it's actually unbelievable.

"After losing to Cork the first day we never thought that we would get the chance to come back and win an All-Ireland in the back-door system.

"We are thankful of it now anyway!"

Thousands are expected in Ennis tonight to welcome home the team, with the players, management and officials leaving Dublin by train, before getting a bus from Limerick as the final part of their journey to Ennis.

The Homecoming celebrations will be held at Tim Smythe Park, formerly known as the Fair Green in Ennis from 6pm to welcome home the newly crowned Senior champions and also to honour the Under 21's All-Ireland achievement.

Clare captain Pat Donnellan was there as a supporter in the nineties, and is looking forward celebrating as a player tonight.

"I can remember it, and when the players were coming back into Shannon Airport back then," he said.

"They were great days. I suppose one of those things you remember about of when you were a kid.

"We are really looking forward to getting home now and experiencing it from the other side today. I'm just really looking forward to it."

Davy Fitzgerald was the Clare goalkeeper for the 1995 and 1997 Liam MacCarthy Cup successes.

"It seems a good time ago now since we won it. To have the opportunity to bring it back to Ennis tonight will be very special," he said.

"We just want people to be able to go out and enjoy themselves. There's been recession and depression and everything. Too me I have been in the middle of different things as well to do with recession.

"Life is there to be lived and once you have your health you have you wealth."

Due to the event, there will be traffic restrictions in place in Ennis from 4.30pm to Midnight tonight.