The Olympic flame begins a 15,000km journey from Athens to Dublin today, culminating in a spectacular Special Olympics opening ceremony in Croke Park on June 21st.
More than 100 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes will carry the flame along three routes, including through 15 of Europe's capital cities, following today's ceremony facing the Acropolis in Athens.
The torch will arrive in Bangor, Co Down, a week before the opening ceremony, and members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda will help carry the flame throughout more than 130 communities across Ireland.
The arrival of the flame will also act as a catalyst for a series of community runs, public concerts and sporting events to celebrate the arrival of the world's biggest sporting event in the world this year to Ireland.
Mr Michael Smith, managing director of the Special Olympics in Europe, said it was fitting that the event should take place during the European Year of People with Disabilities.
"Our hope is that these celebrations will serve to highlight the voices of individuals with mental handicaps, and leave a legacy of greater understanding, opportunity and achievement," said Mr Smith.
Special Olympics athletes from eight European countries will perform today's torch-lighting ceremony before an audience of thousands of people, including the president of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, the Mayor of Athens, Ms Dora Bakogianni, the first lady of Egypt, Ms Suzanne Mubarak, and various ambassadors of countries which are participating in the games.
It will also be attended by the president of Special Olympics International, Dr Timothy P Shriver, and the head of the organising committee for the games, Mr Denis O'Brien.
The ceremony takes place at noon on the sacred site of Pnyx using the Olympic Cauldron.
The "flame of hope" will then follow three routes across Europe, taking in European capitals.
They will converge in Brussels, continue up through Britain, and arrive on Friday June 13th, in Northern Ireland aboard the HMS Bangor.
It will be met by members of the Garda Síochána and the PSNI, who will help carry the flame across Ireland in advance of the opening ceremony.
In Croke Park, it will be handed to a Special Olympics athlete, who will light a cauldron designed by students of the National College of Art and Design which will burn for the duration of the games.
The torch, designed by Mr Noel Finnerty of Newbridge Silverware, consists of a handle made from bog oak, inlaid with sterling silver disks engraved with sporting icons.
The Special Olympics and host town events will take place from June 16th-29th.
