WATCH: James McClean's wife and kids deliver heart-warming speech at celebratory dinner for 100-capped Ireland star

Fresh from leading Ireland out as captain for the 3-0 win over Gibraltar in the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship qualifier at the Aviva Stadium, McClean was back on Foyleside the following day with his close family and friends for a special dinner at the Bishops Gate Hotel.

The 34-year-old Wigan Athletic winger became the seventh player in the history of the Republic of Ireland senior international team to reach 100 caps and his family gathered at the Bishop Street venue to show their appreciation.

After dinner his wife Erin addressed the attendees describing her husband as 'the kindest, most thoughtful soul' and the perfect role model for their four children.

"It has been the most joyous thing as his wife to watch my best friend and husband go and fulfil his dreams by playing football," she began. "The highs have been incredibly high and the lows have been incredibly low but one thing hasn't changed and that's you.

"You may be slightly more grumpy than when I met you," she laughed. "But you are still the kindest, most thoughtful soul. Not only that but your dedication to your vocation of playing football has been nothing but amazing to watch.

"We don't need to ramble on about what I mean because everyone in this room knows it because they've all witnessed it for themselves, everything that you've sacrificed.

"Our four beautiful children have the most blessed, beautiful life they could dream of and I know for certain there's no better role model on this planet than their own father.

"Th ey adore you and it's been the privilege of my life watching you be their daddy. So thank you for making me the luckiest woman alive ," she beamed.

"We're here to celebrate for one reason and that's to celebrate you are now a centurion for Ireland. If there was anybody who could do it was going to be you. In the history of our entire country you are number seven!"

Erin was followed by her daughter Allie-May who declared: "We gather tonight to tell you out loud, congratulations daddy, we are so very proud."

And their son Junior suggested his dad wasn't quite finished yet: "You have achieved so much and you're still pretty young so there's still plenty to be done."

Erin, who met the former Derry City winger in 2010 before they tied the knot six years later, added that the couple had been dreaming about reaching a century of caps 'for the longest time'.

"It was a really special day," she said. "The celebrations are class but we've literally dreamt of this day for the longest time so it's been coming for a long, long time. I don't think it will sink in.

For all the family sacrifices when McClean is in camp, Erin wouldn't have it any other way given the joy her husband gets from pulling on the green jersey.

"How much of a privilege that is, to get called up for your country? So long may it continue because I know just how much it means to him to pull on that jersey."

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