A REAL IRISH WELCOME FOR THE pounds 80M MAN; Ronaldo arrives in rainy Ireland.

Byline: EOIN REYNOLDS

CRISTIANO Ronaldo arrived in Ireland last night fired up for his Real Madrid debut.

The pounds 80million Galactico landed at rainy Dublin Airport with 28 team-mates and was immediately whisked off by a coach that met their plane on the tarmac.

The players will now spend 10 days training at luxurious 1,000-acre Carton House - which was yesterday besieged by calls from female fans begging to meet the 24year-old Portuguese winger. A hotel source revealed: "The phones have not stopped ringing with women calling to see if they can come and see Ronaldo.

"We've never known anything like it. The callers want to know if they will be able to come and watch him train or sit in the hotel and catch a glimpse of him. They all sound desperate to see him."

However, the winger will have 24/7 personal security and will be kept away from guests as much as possible.

Prices at the 18th century country house in Maynooth, Co Kildare, have also been cranked up by more than pounds 50-a-night as the hotel revels in the publicity of the Spanish team's visit.

The 29-strong squad - including stars Kaka, Raul and Iker Casillas - have booked out a whole floor of at the facility which boasts its own football pitch, spa and golf course.

The team will also shun the hotel's three restaurants in favour of a private dining room in a bid to ensure their seclusion. And Real Madrid even decided to bring their own chef to ensure their meals are just perfect.

The source added: "Security has had to be stepped up to protect the players and keep them away from other guests.

"They will spend most of the day training. The entrance to their hotel floor will be watched by security guards to keep out fans."

Ronaldo - who became the most expensive player in soccer history after his transfer from Manchester United this month - is set to make his Real debut against Shamrock Rovers on Monday.

It's part of the Spanish club's preseason training under new coach Manuel Pellegrini and Rovers are doing everything they can to make the Galacticos feel at home.

They even cut the grass at their ground in Tallaght, Dublin, to 23 millimetres - just how the Spanish giants like it.

Chairman of Shamrock Rovers John Roche said: "It's great that Ronaldo is going to make his debut in Tallaght, at Shamrock Rovers."

CAPTION(S):

ON TARGET Spanish team's plane touches down yesterday HERE WE GO Coach to hotel POPULAR Ronaldo causes a stir on arrival GOTTA HAND IT TO HIM Cristiano Ronaldo is greeted at Dublin Airport