More than 20,000 people gathered at Thomond Park in Limerick tonight for the spectacular opening ceremony of Special Olympics Ireland 2010.
The Games, worst an estimated €25million to the mid west economy, is one of the biggest sporting events taking place in the country this summer.
Some 1,900 athletes will take part in 14 sports in venues across Limerick and Clare over the next four days.
The athletes are accompanied by 4,000 family members and a fleet of 650 coaches, more than 3,500 volunteers signed up to support the games, which were officially opened by Irish band the Cranberries who performed their first Irish concert in ten years in Thomond Park rugby stadium.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister for Tourism Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin and a host of television and sporting personalities including rugby star Keith Wood.
Among those who addressed the massive gathering was Denis O'Brien, Chairman Special Olympics Ireland Council of Patrons, who paid tribute to all those who had sponsored the event including well known philanthropist JP McManus who donated €250,000.
"We knew it was going to be very challenging but Special Olympics touches so many people in Ireland, including families but also people in the commercial world and we always knew we'd get there," he said.
"Limerick has been granted European City of Sport for 2011, and there is no better place to come to than Thomond Park and the fact that 22,000 would come tonight to celebrate Special Olympics athletes from every corner of the country is absolutely fantastic," he continued.
Also in attendance at tonight's opening ceremony was Irish rugby star and former Lions captain Paul O'Connell, who headed up the volunteer recruitment drive.
The Limerick born rugby star has a long association with the games, which his aunt Mary O'Connell previously competed in.
"My aunt would have competed in the Special Olympics before so I had a big connection with it that way," he explained.
He also paid tribute to the huge number of people who signed up to volunteer for the Games.
"Limerick needed to reach 3,500 volunteers and they did and it was over subscribed. Anyone who has ever been involved in Special Olympics always comes back because it's such a positive experience It is an organisation people love being associated with because it's so positive," he said.
Meanwhile, with almost 10,000 people expected to descend in Limerick this week accommodation staff at the University of Limerick were busy getting ready for the athletes, who will stay at the five student residences located on the campus.
"We require 2,100 duvets, sheets and pillows, 8,400 pieces of cutlery, 6,300 pieces of delft, 4,200 cups and glasses for the village kitchens. The staff were busy cleaning, shining and placing all these items in the villages since the students moved out at
the end of May" explained Ellen Fitzmaurice, Campus Life Services, University of Limerick.
The Flame of Hope, which has been travelling around Ireland for the past week as part of the Special Olympics /Law Enforcement Torch Run, ended its journey at Thomond Park earlier.