The 23-strong team picked up 39 medals, including eleven Gold, in a performance that team manager Colin White described as "a breath-taking achievement."

Speaking at the closing ceremony in Bangkok, he said: "Of the 23 athletes who came here, 17 won medals. That's a massive return, and other countries have been asking us about the secret to our success.

"A total of 49 countries take part in the Games, so you have to work extremely hard to take 39 medals home.

"When you factor in the extreme heat here, which should not suit our athletes, you get an appreciation of how well the team has done."

Before this year's Games, Ireland had never before broken the 30-medal barrier. As the medals total mounted up, supporters sent messages of congratulations to the team on their special Games website - www.TransplantTeamIreland.com.

The Games are held every two years to celebrate the new lease of life granted to transplant recipients. The Irish team boasted 18 new kidneys, three new livers and two new hearts, and ranged in age from nine to 70.

The Games saw Ireland win its first Gold medals in the sport of Petanque, a variation on the French game of boules. Amid emotional scenes, Bridie Nicholson of Sligo won the women's Petanque title on Thursday afternoon, and, just a few hours later, Donegal's Hugo Boyce defeated French and Israeli opposition to win the men's title.

They also competed in golf, tennis, track and field, table tennis, ten-pin bowling, badminton, squash, and swimming.

The team, officials, and supporters will return to a welcome home reception in Dublin Airport on Tuesday evening.

"The great thing about these Games is that the athletes don't just put themselves to the test, they also honour their donors and the families of their donors," said team captain Deirdre, Faul, who won three Gold and three Bronze medals.

"We also want to encourage people to carry organ donor cards."
The full squad is: Hugo Boyce (Donegal), Garret Campbell (Wicklow), John Cormican (Roscommon), Paul Donohoe (Cavan), Rachel Eagleton (Meath), Monica Finn (Roscommon), Vera Frisby (Waterford), Tony Gartland (Carlow), Tony Gavigan (Meath), James Hannon (Longford), John Loftus (Limerick), Terry Mangan (Dublin), Deirdre Faul (Dublin), Daniel McCarthy (Cork), Peter Morgan (Dublin), Catherine Murphy (Cork), Bridie Nicholson (Sligo), James Nolan (Kildare), Marie O'Connor (Clare), Paul Prendergast (Dublin), Angela Sherlock (Dublin), Jennifer Tuohy (Clare) and Emma Walsh (Kilkenny.)

For an organ donor card free text the word 'DONOR' to 50050.