Man of the match Garth Delany hailed a "dream come true" as Ireland qualified for the Super 12s for the only second time in the T20 Cricket World Cup.
An opening defeat to Zimbabwe left Ireland with it all to do.
But a bounce back win over Scotland kept hopes alive before this morning's superb nine wicket victory over West Indies in Hobart, knocking the two time champions out in the process.
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The impressive performance adds Ireland to an illustrious list in the group of 12 with hosts Australia, England, India and Pakistan.
"It's an incredible day, a dream come true," said Delany.
"As a group we're just ecstatic about what we're going to be able to do over the next few weeks. We're just delighted, to be honest. Hopefully we can continue on."
The leg spinner took three wickets for 16 as the West Indies made 146 for five wickets.
The onus was on opening batsmen Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie to step up and they responded by producing Ireland's best ever power play score of 64 for no wicket.
The dynamic duo made 73 runs before Balbirnie was out, then next man in Lorcan Tucker stepped in effortlessly to make 45 runs off 35 balls - including a glorious four to finish as Ireland comfortably got over the line with a nine wicket victory and with 15 balls to spare.
Veteran opener Stirling made 66 off 48 balls and skipper Balbirnie praised him afterwards.
"It was a really good wicket," he remarked. "He's one of our best ever batters, Paul, the way he played today made it easy for me and I think the way I played made it easy for him.
"To get a partnership like that just kind of dents that total and the way Lorcan came in and played so freely was great. It was just a real all round performance, the bowlers were superb, the wicket was good and it was just a real proud day to be Irish, I suppose.
Balbirnie spoke of the devastation of the group after going out at the same stage last year.
"We did a lot of thinking, a lot of things changed back home and different personnel came in and out, a different coach," he said.
"To lose the first game and come back to beat a two-time champion in a must-win game, just couldn't be prouder. It was a pretty emotional finish to the game and we're just delighted as a group."
Ireland's aim beforehand was to make the group of 12 and now, stressed Balbirnie, anything is possible.
"Once you put yourself in that position, anything can happen on your day. We could play our next game here, we've played three here already so anything can happen.
"We're just delighted. We want to pit ourselves against the best in the world so who knows where that will take us."
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