Irish Olympic heroes Paul and Gary O’Donovan will return to their native Cork this evening.

The brothers took silver in the men’s lightweight double sculls in Rio, while Paul bagged a gold in the single sculls in the World Rowing Championships in the Netherlands yesterday.

They will arrive at Cork Airport this evening – along with other members of the Irish rowing team – on an Aer Lingus flight from Rotterdam at around 9:30pm.

However, there will nott be a media conference like when the rest of the Olympic team arrived at Dublin Airport, as the brothers’ big homecoming is in Skibbereen tomorrow.

Kevin Cullinane is Head of Communications at Cork Airport: “So they have been away from home now for several weeks and they have been competing in both the Olympics and the World Rowing Championships.

“So they are looking forward to a relaxed night in their own bed and tonight we will facilitate their arrival at Cork Airport and save some of their energy for the big homecoming in Skibbereen on Monday night.”

Meanwhile President Michael D Higgins is holding a reception for Team Ireland at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning at 11am.

The athletes who represented the country at the Rio Olympics earlier this month are being honoured in the special event today.