Ireland's involvement in the 2024 Olympics got underway this afternoon, with the men's rugby sevens team taking to the field for their opening game against South Africa. While there will be some rugby and football action over the next couple of games, the games do not officially kick off until after the opening ceremony on Friday evening.
Olympic opening ceremonies have become increasingly lavish affairs in recent times, with the Paris edition set to be no different. The French organisers have planned a historic spectacle, one that will incorporate the River Seine to produce the first ever floating ceremony at the games.
A sizeable Irish contingent will take part in the event, with most of our athletes set to be onsite for the festivities.
The Ireland uniforms have already been revealed, ones which also feature a nod to the home county of each athlete.
READ HERE: Ireland Sevens - Everything To Know About Both Teams At The Olympics
Irish Olympic Opening Ceremony Outfits Feature Nod To 32 Counties
Having an athlete take part in the Olympics is a huge deal in any community, meaning it is fantastic to see that these counties will be showcased at the opening ceremony of the games.
The Irish uniforms for the occasion have been designed by Laura Weber, who has also included each athlete's county coat of arms to go along with the design.
Confirmation that a record number of 133 athletes will represent Ireland in Paris, the largest squad ever fielded by Team Ireland at the Olympic Games.
Below are the county crests that have been given to athletes as part of their official clothing gear pic.twitter.com/dKEfoYqblj— Sinéad Kissane (@sineadkissane) July 19, 2024
Team Ireland's uniform for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics will feature an embroidered county crest for each athlete to showcase their home county. Athletes from 31 counties will represent Ireland at the Games.
Read more: https://t.co/SpzO0QulYe#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/YeFzAfjUSL— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 23, 2024
Speaking to RTÉ, designer Laura Weber explained why this added touch was so important.
One of the huge talking points of the jackets was that all the athletes got to choose their county. Their county patch was embroidered and placed on the jacket sleeve.
Not only is this going to be an amazing talking point for all the athletes, but it felt like such a special tribute to all their families, their communities and villages that have supported them just to get here.
31 counties are set to be represented in Team Ireland during the 2024 Olympics.
While this inclusion will not aid our athletes in their hunt for a medal, it is a wonderful touch and will certainly been a nice keepsake to have in their possession over the coming years.
SEE ALSO: Watching The 2024 Olympics In Ireland - How To See Every Second Of The Action
