By Steve Neville
RTÉ's Late Late Show tribute to Gay Byrne opened in a nostalgic fashion, leaving many viewers with fond memories of the legendary broadcaster.
The show's opening tribute to the former Late Late show host featured the original music and a series of entrances from Mr Byrne.
Social media users were quick to praise RTÉ for the opening, with one saying it " just sums up that no other presenter in this land, before or since, could elicit such love and admiration as Gaybo."
Another added: "Its lovely, sad and all those emotions that cannot be expressed.
"A fitting tribute tonight, thank you."
Another reminisced saying: "I remember our old principal using Gaybo's entrance on late late show as an example to show how someone gets peoples attention when entering a room. (sic)"
They show featured a host of celebrities, singers and actors to celebrating the life of Mr Byrne.
President Michael D Higgins opened the tributes on the night, hailing Mr Byrne as an icon who had the courage to “open up what should be opened up”.
“I think that maybe the biggest thing was that people felt was that you had a kind of a safe, non-judgmental space where you could begin to think in a modern way,” President Higgins said of the Late Late Show during Mr Byrne’s tenure in the host’s seat.
Mr Byrne passed away on Monday at the age of 85 following a long illness.
Since the news of his death, tributes have poured in for one Ireland's most-loved broadcasters.
