Latest news: Outstanding line-up set for spectacular World Games Opening Ceremonies; 2003 Special Olympics World Games merchandise shop opens on 'The Street' at Dublin Airport...
Outstanding line-up set for spectacular World Games Opening Ceremonies
Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, will never have seen anything like it. On 21 June, a spectacular Opening Ceremonies will herald the beginning of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games, the largest sporting event in the world this year. On 29 June, Closing Ceremonies will honor the 30,000 volunteers who made it all possible.
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Special Olympics Ireland athlete Sinead Friel, 2nd from left, from Bayside Gym Club, Dublin, tests out one of the drums alongside (from left) John McColgan, Tyrone Productions; Mary Davis, CEO, 2003 Special Olympics World Games; Moya Doherty, Tyrone Productions; and Denis O'Brien, Chairman, 2003 World Games at the announcement of details of the Opening Ceremonies. Photo credit: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE *EDI* |
That was the message from a reception in Croke Park on 22 April when the World Games Organizing Committee, along with Ceremonies Partners Tyrone Productions and MCD Productions, announced details of the Opening Ceremonies.
Tyrone Productions will produce Opening Ceremonies. Under the creative direction of Rupert Murray, the production team has been working for almost two years to create an Opening Ceremonies that will be a fitting tribute to the abilities of the 7,000 athletes from 150 countries who will compete at these World Games. Drawing on the talent of many of Ireland's leading musicians, performers, directors, designers, choreographers and composers, Tyrone Productions has put together a spectacular three-hour show which will be seen not only by the 75,000 in attendance, but also by a television audience watching a live broadcast on RTE Television.
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Special Olympic Ireland athletes Deirdre O'Callaghan, right, and Nicola Higgins, both from Dublin, pictured with Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given at the official opening of the 2003 Special Olympics World Games shop at Dublin Airport. Picture credit; David Maher / SPORTSFILE |
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Share the Feeling...Wear the Feeling
Irish football (soccer) star Shay Given showed that he is a world-class player and a world-class supporter when he opened the 2003 Special Olympics World Games shop on 'The Street' at Dublin Airport 28 April. The shop, sponsored by Aer Rianta, is full of exciting World Games merchandise — everyone flying out of Dublin Airport can 'Share the Feeling' and 'Wear the Feeling.'
Joining Given at the opening of the shop were his sister Michelle, a Special Olympics World Games Volunteer, and Special Olympics Ireland athletes Deirdre O'Callaghan and Nicola Higgins, both participating in the Games as members of Team Ireland, sponsored by eircom.
Speaking at the opening of the shop, Frank O'Connell, Aer Rianta's Director for Retailing said, "We are delighted to support Special Olympics World Games in this way. 'The Street' is one of Ireland's busiest shopping venues, so we know the shop will achieve a high level of sales and add significantly to the World Games fundraising drive. We hope the money raised in the shop, added to Aer Rianta's donation of €250,000, will contribute significantly to the success of this great event."
The 2003 Special Olympics World Games shop stocks a large range of official World Games merchandise, including polo shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, teddy bears and baseball caps. The shop is accessible to all passengers flying out of Dublin Airport and is open from 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. every day until 7 July 2003.
Given began his career in Scotland and joined Newcastle United in 1997. Born in Lifford, Co. Donegal, Ireland, he has had a renowned international career, debuting for Ireland versus Russia in 1996 at age 19. |
Guests of honor at the Ceremonies will be Mary McAleese, President of Ireland; Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder and Honorary Chairperson of Special Olympics; and Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa. President McAleese will formally welcome the athletes and join Mandela when the 11th Special Olympics World Summer Games are officially declared open.
Bono, U2, The Corrs, Samantha Mumba and Ronan Tynan will lead a strong line-up of celebrities and stars from the worlds of international sport and show business taking part in the entertainment and celebrations. Patrick Kielty will be Master of Ceremonies.
"A Dash of Color," an energetic and fast-moving dance routine performed by 350 representatives from the Host Towns throughout Ireland, will provide a spectacular opening to the show and form the Guard of Honor for the Parade of Athletes.
Shaun Davey, one of Ireland's foremost composers, has composed original music for the Ceremony, the centerpiece of which will be the Athlete's Song, May We Never Have to Say Goodbye. The song, which will be released as a single in June, will be performed by Rita Connolly, Ronan Tynan, the National Symphony Orchestra, many of Ireland's finest traditional musicians, a pipe band and a choir of 500.
Speaking at the announcement, John McColgan, Executive Director of Tyrone Productions, said, "We regard it as an honor to be associated with such an inspiring movement. It has been a challenging and exciting experience over the past year and a half. The Opening Ceremonies will be a real celebration for the athletes and their families. This is their moment and we will have succeeded if they have the time of their lives".
Among the other highlights of the entertainment will be the coming together of the largest Riverdance group ever assembled, 100 Riverdancers drawn from companies worldwide and from Irish dance schools. Open Arts, the Belfast-based theatre company comprising 180 performers with a learning disability and 140 professionals, has created "Solstice," a special performance inspired by the fact that the Opening Ceremonies are taking place on the longest day of the year.
"The Ball" is a dazzling seven-minute piece created and directed by Macnas and performed by members of The Blue Teapot Theatre Company —a group of performers with learning disability —members of The Macnas Drumming Project and Macnas' own performers and creative team. "The Ball" is inspired by the various ball games in the 2003 World Summer Games.
The climax of the Ceremonies will be the arrival of the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope" following its 17-day journey through 15 European countries and every corner of Ireland by law enforcement officers from 20 countries led by An Garda Siochana and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The Torch will be handed to Special Olympics athletes who will light the World Games Flame to herald the start of the 2003 World Games.
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Joanne Doyle, lead dancer, Riverdance; Rita Lawlor, 2003 World Games Board Member; and Patrick Kielty, Master of Ceremonies for the World Games Opening Ceremonies, pictured at the announcement of details of the Opening Ceremonies for the 2003 Special Olympics World Games. Photo credit: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE *EDI* |
The Closing Ceremonies on 29 June, to be produced by MCD Productions, will be a thank you and tribute to the 30,000 volunteers at the World Games. The Ceremonies will combine the traditional pageantry of a Closing Ceremonies with a two-hour concert featuring a star line-up which will be announced in early May. The extinguishing of the Special Olympics Flame will signify the conclusion of the 2003 Special Olympics World Games.
MCD also is providing event management and logistical support for both Ceremonies. One of the biggest stages seen in Ireland will be constructed on Hill 16, and 14,000 sq. metres of field cover will be used to protect the new playing surface. MCD Executive Robert Matthews said, "We are delighted to support the Special Olympics World Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the first major events in the new Croke Park. We look forward, with our partners, Tyrone Productions, to creating spectacular events befitting of the Special Olympics World Summer Games."
"Having the Opening and Closing Ceremonies here in Croke Park is a wonderful example of our World Games theme, Share the Feeling," said Denis O'Brien, Chairman of the 2003 GOC. "Outstanding organizations, Tyrone Productions, MCD, the GAA and RTE working as one to ensure that we have truly memorable Ceremonies that will be seen throughout the world," he added.
The capacity of Croke Park for each Ceremonies will be 65,000. Tickets for the Opening Ceremony are free of charge and will be distributed initially to the 150 participating delegations, their families and supporters. It is estimated that there will be close to 20,000 family members and supporters travelling to Ireland for the World Games. The 177 Host Towns throughout Ireland also will be receiving an allocation, as will athletes, families and coaches in Special Olympics Ireland who are not part of Team Ireland at the Games.
For those not lucky enough to get tickets, World Games sponsor RTE will be broadcasting the entire Opening Ceremonies live, using more than 20 cameras to cover the event. |
