Sisters Isobel and Cecelia Joyce joined Clare Shillington and Ciara Metcalfe in retirement after Ireland's World Twenty20 campaign came to an end on Saturday.
Ireland gave Shillington (37) and Metcalfe (39) a guard of honour as they took the field for the last time in international cricket, only to have twins Isobel and Cecelia (35) also announce their retirements following the eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand.
"There's definitely a lot of tears," team-mate Kim Garth said.
"You know, Cecelia, Ciara, Shills and Isobel have been four incredible servants of Irish cricket. And I don't think Irish women's cricket will be anywhere near it is today without them.
"They're absolute champions on the field but champions off the field as well.
"We're going to miss them a lot. It is extremely sad that they're retiring. It's going to be a different dynamic without them."
Shillington, who made her international debut in 1997 and went on to score over 1,200 runs in the green jersey, said before the game that women's cricket in Ireland had come a long way in that time.
"We’ve come so far, it's really become an elite environment, the facilities we have for training are amazing. 21 years is a long time. I was 16 when I started, so a lot has changed.
"I remember when I got my 100th cap I said it [cricket] was a love-hate relationship, but the good days by far outweigh the bad days. I don't think you can ever not enjoy putting on an Irish shirt and representing your country."
