It was a night to remember as Ryan Tubridy signed off from his stewardship of The Late Late Show with an emotional, star-studded and Toy Show-tastic finale on Friday night.
The special show featured a variety of guests, including President Michael D Higgins, a stellar gathering of Toy Show stars, game-changing moments - and even featured two Muppets, half of U2 and former Beatle Paul McCartney.
It was an emotional farewell for Ryan, who was clearly blown away - and even momentarily lost for words - as the curtain came down on his time hosting Ireland's number one TV show.
And in the end ... it's all about love on Tubs' Last Last Show
The night began with Ryan's final opening appearance as host, followed by a montage of moments from across the years. Oddly, he entered to a few instrumental bars of Paul McCartney’s Live and Let Die.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my last Late Late Show," he said before praising his successor, Patrick Kielty, while adding "it's been a wonderful 14 years."
As the show settled, the first guest was President Michael D Higgins, who spoke to Ryan in a pre-recorded interview at Áras an Uachtaráin.
The most touching moment in that interview was when the President spoke about the death of his beloved dog Bród, who passed away in April, and he recalled a letter of sympathy sent to him by US President Joe Biden.
Next up, Ryan spoke about the Toy Show and the many children involved, which led into a Toy Show kids’ performance of The Cup Song from the movie Pitch Perfect.
After the performance it was hugs all round from Ryan, who was already getting emotional, telling them: "You’re the future". He then went around the various Toy Show folk before announcing "the lad who went viral before viral was even a thing," Alex Meehan.
Getting emotional (again!), Ryan called them all part of his "weird family" before thanking them and admitting "I’m lost for words." That was surely a first.
Next up were the DJs Colm and Jackson, who introduced a video message from a couple of Muppets - Animal and Floyd - from The Electric Mayhem band, who wished Ryan all the best. "You don’t know what that means to me," he said.
Putting on a typically colourful Christmas jumper, Ryan continued the Toy Show reunion after the break and had a chat with several of the kids, asking Poppy and Darcy about the time their hero Kellie Harrington dropped in.
This time around it was no surprise seeing Kellie as she was sitting behind the girls. "It was a very surreal moment," she recalled. "As a kid, I would’ve been watching other kids getting surprises [on the Toy Show]. To be the one who comes out and surprises the girls just felt amazing."
Then there was dad Graham, who had been the surprise present in a box opened by his children - whom he hadn’t seen for three months - on the Toy Show. "It was just too much!" Ryan recalled.
Then young Saoirse Ruane recalled getting a wish come true when she got to go on a trip to Disney World. "We had a wonderful time - it was so magical there," she recalled.
Adam King got a great reception. "Every child brings something different," Ryan recalled as Adam then recounted his Toy Show virtual hug, which captured the imagination of pretty much the entire population.
Ryan then gave away a lot of money raised through the Toy Show appeal, thanking the Irish public for their generosity. "For you at home," he said, "take a bow".
Then Adam King led the audience to give Ryan a virtual hug.
Following some inspirational clips from previous Late Late Shows, Ryan was joined by Majella O’Donnell, Robbie Lawlor, PJ Gallagher and Joanne O’Riordan, who all shared their Late Late experiences.
Joanne, for example, recalled that she was just 15 when she first appeared on the show, "doing a BT Young Scientist project . . . it was a wild experience." She also recalled being at the United Nations in New York. And hot dogs! And seeing the Yankees!
Majella pointed out that Ryan "was just fantastic . . . you made me feel safe" the night she had her head shaved on The Late Late Show. Ryan also spoke poignantly to the late Vicky Phelan’s sister, Lindsay.
Charlie Bird and his wife Claire then joined Ryan and through his voice box he said that "mentally, I’m doing okay" while admitting that he faces many physical difficulties.
Video messages to Ryan followed, from the likes of Brendan O’Carroll, Saoirse Ronan, Jessie Buckley and - the one that shook Ryan - Paul McCartney, who advised him: 'Don’t take up the guitar!"
After picking his jaw up off the floor, Ryan said: "Can we take a break? I can’t handle that."
In the final part of the show, there was a star-studded performance by, as Ryan described it, "The Late Late Show Music Superstars Ensemble".
The massive line-up included the likes of Andrea Corr, John Sheahan, Moya Brennan, Steve Wickham, Sharon Shannon, Andrew Hendy and Jim Lockhart.
After that, Andrea Corr and Moya Brennan joined Ryan for a chat. "We’re going to ask you the questions tonight," Andrea told him. "The first question is," Moya added. "How are you feeling tonight?"
"I’m leaving this show with a spring in my step as opposed to with a heavy heart," he replied, before telling them about his time on The Late Late Show.
Then U2's The Edge appeared in a video and announced that they’d got him "an upgrade on your pushbike". Bono popped up next, telling Ryan he’s "more of a mod than a rocker" before announcing that U2 had bought him a red Vespa scooter.
PJ Gallagher then rode into the studio on Ryan’s new red Vespa, with special plates that read "2RYN, XU2".
A very happy Ryan then gathered himself and signed-off for the last time. "I just want to say goodbye," he said, while thanking everyone involved behind the scenes on The Late Late Show. "I’m dedicating this show tonight to my family," he added.
"It’s all about family, when all is said and done" and then pledged the show to his daughters Ella and Julia.
Finally he thanked the viewers and finished with a wish: "Mind yourself and mind each other."
The night played out with The Beatles’ All You Need is Love.
And the Ryan Tubridy era on The Late Late Show was over . . .
