IRELAND'S OLYMPIC team uniform, designed by John Rocha, has gone on show - a month ahead of the opening of the Beijing games. It will be worn at the opening ceremony before a television audience of five billion people.
The uniform was unveiled at a ceremony in Dublin hosted by the Olympic Council of Ireland and attended by the Chinese ambassador, Lui Bewei, and Olympic gold medallist Ronnie Delany.
Modelled by athletes Fionnuala Britton (24) from Wicklow, who is competing in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, and Letterkenny cyclist Philip Deignan (25), the uniform comprises a slim-fitting, sand- coloured wool suit for men, with crisp white cotton shirt and silk tie, and for women, a matching wool jacket with silk skirt and top.
All silks were hand-painted with olive green Celtic scroll patterns by textile artist Mel Bradley of Drogheda.
The Italian-made uniforms will be worn at all official ceremonies at the games.
Rocha, who was born in Hong Kong but is a long-standing Irish resident, was the ideal choice for the Penneys-sponsored project. Apart from his Asian and Irish links, he has experience of designing uniforms, being responsible for those worn by Virgin Atlantic cabin crew and ground staff.
For this project, he "wanted the look to be Irish but contemporary, and I wanted to bring in some shade of green and a light colour to the uniform. I was brought up in that climate and with light clothes," he said yesterday.
The silver "lucky eight" earrings were "my personal Chinese good-luck touch", he said.
"I feel Chinese, but I love Ireland, and it is great to be able to do something for my home country," Rocha added.