The honour of carrying Ireland’s flag at the Olympics opening ceremony has been bestowed upon two athletes, namely the Irish golfer Shane Lowry and runner Sarah Lavin. Beginning at half past six in the evening in Irish time on Friday, the ceremony will run for several hours in excess of three hours.
In a break from tradition, the curtain-raiser will not be conducted in a stadium. Instead, it will take place in a city’s central area, where all the global Olympic teams will mark their presence, marching in boats along the River Seine. An estimated crowd of 300,000 onlookers will witness this spectacle from the river’s banks and quaysides.
“It’s an overwhelming experience, honestly,” stated Lavin. “This is undoubtedly the greatest privilege I have ever been bestowed with, and frankly, I believe, perhaps the greatest honour any Olympian could ever receive – bearing the flag of one’s nation.”
The Irish athletes’ scheduled events in Paris are detailed in the Olympics day-by-day guide. Reports came in about attacks on French rail networks, wreaking havoc mere hours ahead of the opening ceremony. Lavin and Lowry received the role of flag bearers for Ireland in the Olympics opening ceremony. Guidelines about the opening ceremony consists of timings, how-to-view, and the route.
“I am supremely grateful to those who placed their faith in me and entrusted me with this role. I’m extremely moved and eager to get out there started,” articulated Lavin. As per Lowry, “This is a tremendous honour for me and my kin. I’m known to be highly patriotic, and my love for Ireland, my homeland, is intense.
“You grow up dreaming about such things, but this seems unrealistic considering it’s a vast challenge. However, being presented with this opportunity is an enormous honour,” he concluded. Both Lavin and Lowry have previous Olympic experience, having participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.