The Opening Ceremony took place at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium, the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

Team Ireland take part in Opening Ceremony

Published: Fri 15 Mar 2019, 11:40 AM

Last updated: Fri 15 Mar 2019, 11:42 AM

Team Ireland made their first appearance at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, taking part in the Opening Ceremony’s official athletes’ parade, led out by Irish representatives including Brendan Whelan, Chairman for Special Olympics Ireland and Shane Ross, Irish Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

91 athletes representing Ireland travelled to Abu Dhabi to compete on a world stage at the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019. A team of 39 management volunteers also travelled with the athletes. The Games officially launched on Thursday, at a star-studded Opening Ceremony at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

The event saw several international celebrities making the trip to Abu Dhabi to show their support for Special Olympics athletes including global ambassador, Nicole Scherzinger and Avril Lavigne, who took to the stage with a performance of her song, ‘Fly’. The ‘Flame of Hope’ also completed its final journey into the iconic Zayed Sports City stadium, lighting the cauldron to mark the official opening of the World Games.