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18 images that will remind you how amazing the Special Olympics opening ceremony was

It’s 10 years ago today since the 2003 Games got going at Croke Park.

TEN YEARS AGO today, Ireland put on a show for the world as we welcomed the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Thousands filled Croke Park for an amazing opening ceremony on 21 June, 2003, on a night that featured international rock stars, some of our most successful sports people and global icons.  But the Irish and visiting Olympic athletes took centre stage.

These pictures might bring it all back.

The teams arrive in GAA HQ

Damien Duff was one of many well-known faces who joined the parade

Croker never looked so well

After Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Arnie became the most built man to grace the hallowed turf

Atheltes like Ireland’s Niall Gillen had the craic

Muhammad Ali dropped into Dublin 9. No biggie

It got emotional… this Austrian visitor shed a tear

Burkino Faso athletes took it all in

Jon Bon Jovi was mobbed by members of the Cyprus team

Colour filled the Hogan Stand

President Mary McAleese addressed the crowd

And performers kept the party going

Roy Keane took a back seat as Catriona Ryan read the athletes’ oath

Samantha Mumba showed up

And the torch arrived in to the stadium with much fanfare

U2 took top billing

Apart from Nelson Mandela, who joined Bono and Co on stage

A spectacular fireworks display marked the end of the ceremony

What are your memories of the night?

‘O’Brien didn’t put a foot wrong but has to watch from the stands’ — Shane Byrne

In pictures: Irish Lions show George North how to hurl in Brisbane

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29 Comments
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    Mute Damian O'Brien
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:43 AM

    Trying to see my sister with the Irish team. We were all in the lower Cusack, ten of us altogether and not one of us saw her.

    When it was all over she brought home pictures of herself with virtually all of the celebrities and dignitaries. How she managed it we’ll never know. She brought home a silver as well.

    I thought the Riverdance part of the ceremony was excellent, and the mighty roar when the Irish team came in to the stadium.

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    Mute Roy Scott
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:27 AM

    The mobilisation of 30000 volunteers and the extended support from al over ireland ,proved to me that regular everyday people with no agendas other than the combined wish to make the games a success, could make it work….people of Ireland ……RESPECT.

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    Mute Paul Bracken
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:07 AM

    It’s great to see so many people happy all of the time and seems to show that sport really is only a game.

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    Mute James Murphy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:11 AM

    It was a fantastic Olympics.

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    Mute Sarah Murphy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:24 AM

    It was a truly amazing night; I’ll never forget it! So proud to say I was there.

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    Mute Killian Fitzpatrick
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:16 AM

    I was so proud of our country when this momentous event took place as my daughter had just been born that May. She was born with Down Syndrome and I thought she had a very bright future. Unfortunately no, as our current government continues to cut her resource hours in order to pay back reckless bankers. How things have changed in 10 years. I cannot believe they continue to attack the most vulnerable in our country, it is despicable!

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    Mute Philip Farrelly
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:27 AM

    I only appreciate now how special that moment was, the amount of work and dedication put in by all involved is amazing.

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    Mute Ita C
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:55 AM

    One of the happiest days/weeks of my life-watching all the teams come in, then seeing my big sis coming in with Team Ireland (& being interviewed by Kathryn Thomas on the big screens around Croke Park!)
    As Philip said, the amount of work & dedication by all involved, from volunteers to atheletes, just to make it work, was amazing. Everyone who played a part should be proud of themselves!

    My sis is grinning like a loon at 5.25 on this vid-makes me cry with happiness everytime I see it, because after such an amazing week, she came home with a gold medal in Golf.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJkyrd-QODs

    What a week, what memories, what a great time : )

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    Mute Daphne Duck
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:54 AM

    It was an amazing time in Ireland. Every town and village got involved and there was a real sense of pride when athletes that stayed in our towns did well. The opening ceremony was amazing, such a colourful and happy event. Wouldn’t it be lovely to do it all over again.

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    Mute john cooling
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:19 AM

    I always still think of the 90′s as been 10 years ago! Getting old aaahhhh :-/

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    Mute Eoin Lynch
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:47 AM

    Samantha Mumba. What a legend!

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    Mute Joe Stodge
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:53 AM

    Who?

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:14 AM

    It was a day to be proud, for sure. Ha ha, dont remember Samantha Mumba ‘performing’. Oh well.

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    Mute Colin Watters
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:04 AM

    Truly one of the better weeks of my life, hanging out with the Lebanese team. Really showed what the Irish people can do, when given the opportunity. Pity those in power didn’t recognise the need to help develop more sporting facilities and push on to do a London 2012. It would cost a lot, but would benefit the country for years!

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    Mute Eric Wrafter
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:34 AM

    I was there, and those photos don’t do it justice!

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    Mute Fon
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:23 AM

    It was a great event and I don’t want to take from that but I have to ask – why are the signs still up at the entrance to every town and village that hosted a country? Surely they should have been taken down long ago? Are they going to remain there forever?

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    Mute Stephen MacMahon
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:58 AM

    why take them down? are we to forget the amount of hard work these towns put in?

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    Mute David Keogh
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:14 AM

    On top of the fact that the towns are proud of what they done and want people to know it, why spend more tax payers money removing them? Its not as though they are having a negative impact. If anything, they have a positive impact for tourists seeing them and knowing that the town got right behind the Special Olympics!

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    Mute Mark McCormack
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    Jun 21st 2013, 11:13 AM

    Great occassion! I remember as a scout we had to place hundreds of those flags on the seats the day before, great craic though. But the third picture down looks oddly like a parade in North Korea..

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    Mute Niamh Ní Fhoghlú
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    Jun 21st 2013, 4:11 PM

    Those flags were all laid out by scouts, who were volunteering at the Special Olympics. I was one of those people. We laid them out the day before, and were able to see some of the acts rehearsing on the stage. Our reward, was the chance to win tickets to the opening ceremony (Gold Dust). We all got to go to the closing ceremony…

    the whole event was epic

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    Mute Tommy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:15 AM

    May We Never Have To Say Goodbye by Sean Davey… Lovely composition for The Games!

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    Mute James Patrick Smith
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    Jun 21st 2013, 10:36 AM

    A truly great occasion, one which can be looked back on with tremendous national pride.

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    Mute David O Connor
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:04 PM

    Ok..I dont personally fit the profile for the Special Olympics..Para Olympic or The Olympics for super humans… but I would like the opportunity to complete in the Average Joe Olympic Games if we could get one.

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    Mute Daniel Brady
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:49 PM

    I don’t remember any of this but it looks class!

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    Mute Helena Farrell
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:07 PM

    Can’t believe that was 10 years ago. It’s one of the memorable, most rewarding events that I have volunteered my time for. Pictures look amazing. Actual opening and closing ceremonies were much more then that. Fantastic results by all the wonderful athletes, volunteers, organisers and families. Loved it!

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    Mute Henry Shields
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:45 PM

    Still had the flag from that night up to about 3 years ago. Remember my father came up to collect me from it and I missed U2 because he was outside waiting.

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    Mute Seán O' Sullivan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:08 PM

    So jealous of everyone who made it there, an amazing event for our country!

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    Mute Seán Mc Cormack
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:31 PM

    I spent weeks dreaming of placing down those flags in Croker after it… Great Saturday doing my bit to help out though. We could really do with a community thing like this again soon. (Don’t get your hopes up, The Gathering, I don’t mean you)

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    Mute harry O leary
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 2:55 AM

    Fantastic night I will always remember it as I emigrated to California the next day , great memory of Ireland before I left

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