THE bunting is well and truly out in Dublin’s Ringsend today - the neighbourhood which is home to Ireland Women’s star Abbie Larkin.
Family, friends and supporters have decked the area out in green, white and gold ahead of Ireland’s first World Cup match against Australia - which is the tournament opener - this morning.
Larkin’s aunt Alice Foley was among those getting the decorations up in preparation for the big game, which kicks off at 11am Irish time and can be viewed on RTE2.
The 18-year-old, who plays for Shamrock Rovers, is the youngest member of Vera Pauw’s World Cup squad, who will play the tournament co-hosts in Sydney in front of a sold-out crowd this morning.
Pauw, who has led Ireland's Women's team to their first World Cup, has revealed she wants her players to believe they can get a result against 'The Matildas' today.
"As a team, we have always held the belief that something only appears to be impossible the moment it proves to be impossible," she said.
"What that means is that you must believe in yourself, embrace tougher challenges, and step forward to trust that you are ready to fulfill your dreams.
“We did just that to qualify for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023; now we must be brave once again to make the most of this fantastic opportunity of competing in the world’s best competition."