DUBLIN ZOO HAS named one of its critically endangered parrots ‘Troy’ in honour of Ireland’s hat trick hero. 

It’s the icing on the cake for Troy Parrott, who scored two goals to help Ireland defeat Portugal and then followed this up with a dramatic hat trick in Budapest yesterday as Ireland beat Hungary 3-2.

Parrott’s last minute winner sent Ireland to the World Cup play-offs.

90+5mins: 🇭🇺 2-3 🇮🇪

Ireland holds its breath, on the last throw of the dice... Hattrick for Parrott 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

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Dublin Zoo is home to a critically endangered male citron-crested cockatoo, a parrot species, who didn’t have a fitting name until Troy’s heroics in Budapest’s Puskás Aréna.

Dublin Zoo coordinates the European Zoo Breeding Programme for the citron-crested cockatoo, which sees Dublin Zoo manage the breeding of citron-crested cockatoos across all European zoos.

Since 2011, Dublin Zoo has also been providing funding for research on the citron-crested cockatoo population on Sumba Island.

A spokesperson for the zoo said the cockatoo has been “officially christened Troy by Dublin Zoo”.

Diana Farrell, a zookeeper at Dublin Zoo, remarked that there are “very few moments that leave the people of a nation speechless, but that’s exactly what Troy Parrott’s third goal did yesterday”.

She described the last-minute winner as a “beautiful, joyous moment”.

And while Farrell acknowledges that “some might say we’re ‘Hungary’ for attention,” Dublin Zoo “just want to honour Ireland’s hat-trick hero – a Dublin native born and bred – in a way that only we can”.

Dublin Airport jokingly renamed itself Troy Parrott International Airport on social media for a time yesterday and some fans have been calling for a Parrott statue after yesterday’s performance.

“It’s not quite the statue many fans were calling for at full-time yesterday,” said Farrell, “but we hope the original Troy sees it as another feather in his cap to go with the match ball he took home. 

“The striker has given the country so much joy and we’d be delighted to welcome him to Dublin Zoo to chat football with us keepers and of course to meet his namesake, who’s more of a winger.”

Dublin Zoo names critically endangered male citron-crested cockatoo (a parrot species) 'Troy' in tribute to Troy Parrott’s unforgettable performance in Budapest. Dublin Zoo Dublin Zoo

Meanwhile, Dublin Zoo said it is keen to keep the “Parrott party going” and is offering a 50% discount for anyone wearing green this weekend.

The offer applies to full-priced adult and child admission tickets purchased at the Dublin Zoo gate.