PARALYMPICS Patrice Dockery Leads Irish Paralympic Team in Spectacular Games Opening Ceremony

Ireland's flag bearer; six time Paralympian Patrice Dockery proudly led the 45 strong Irish team along with coaches, managers and team staff into Beijing's infamous Bird's Nest Stadium tonight (Sep 6th) for the truly stunning opening ceremony of the 13th Paralympic Games.

Beaming with pride track athlete Dockery said: "It was wonderful. I thought going in it may be overwhelming but as soon as we marched in it felt just deadly to be Irish and I couldn't have been more proud. It was a real honour to lead in this Irish team. We can't wait to get started now."

The ceremony was a moment the team had been looking forward to since their arrival in the Chinese capital almost a fortnight ago, and at times over the last four years of preparation and training it surely may have felt this like day would never come, but it was worth the wait as the organisers put on the most spectacular opening ceremony the Paralympic Games has ever seen.

Teenage Wexford swimmer Darragh McDonald was lost for words afterwards: "Absolutely amazing; it was just brilliant. I was just speechless, and it's one of the rare occasions I was! The whole team was amazed, in awe of the whole thing and just delighted to be here. My favourite part was definitely walking into the stadium."

Performance Director for the Irish team Liam Harbison said: "Words can't describe the feeling of entering the stadium with our team; the atmosphere was electric among them; they were singing in the tunnel when we were waiting to march in! It's really here; the Games are on. Preparation done; success to come."

No less than nine Irish athletes will begin their Games tomorrow, with four of them making their Paralympic Games debuts. All four Boccia players are in action in the pool stages of the individual competition in the morning, with cyclists Enda Smyth and Michael Delaney racing in the veledrome. Dublin teenager Ellen Keane starts her campaign in the pool in the water cube in the morning in the heats of the 100m Butterfly. In the afternoon Catherine Walsh races in the final of 1km tandem time trial in the veledrome with sighted pilot rider Joanna Hickey, with first time Paralympian Eimear Breathnach competing in the individual table tennis event.

RTE Sport will air the first in their series of shows on the Irish team at the Games tonight at 11.40pm on RTE 2 and it will be available to view on demand on their dedicated Paralympic Games site http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics2008/paralympics_index.html

News from the Irish camp as well as daily podcasts will be available from tomorrow (Sunday) on www.pcireland.ie and www.irishsportscouncil.ie

For Further Information contact the press officers to the Irish team:
Sinéad McElroy, smcelroy@irishsportscouncil.ie 087-6338512 or 008613911678098
John Fulham, communications@pcireland.ie 087-2709182 or 008613911678366