Public Affairs

Olympic torch route

Northern Ireland is expected to come alive next June when the Olympic torch visits ahead of the 2012 Games.

The route, which will cover every nation and region in the UK, will see the Olympic torch travel 8,000 miles in 74 days, after it arrives from Greece.

On Sunday 3 June the iconic flame will visit Portrush and will travel to Derry the following day. It will stop in Newry on 5 June and Belfast on 6 June.

After the torch finishes its travels in Northern Ireland there is a day of “no activity”, the only break within the tour, as it will travel from the province to Scotland that night.

While an official announcement of the route was made in May, further stops are expected to be announced in coming months.

A search for 8,000 “inspirational torchbearers” has also begun. Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín explained that 600 people will help to carry the torch across the province and said it “is a unique opportunity for local communities to contribute to the 2012 Olympics”.

She noted that it is a “tremendous honour” to host the Olympic torch and said that “each location will organise festivals to celebrate this historic, once- in-a-life-time event.”

Also welcoming the news, Belfast Lord Mayor Pat Convery said the visit will be momentus: “The Olympic flame is renowned for being a symbol of peace, unity and friendship; traits that are now also associated with Belfast and Northern Ireland. This is a fantastic opportunity for all our citizens and neighbourhoods to demonstrate the spirit of unity and co-operation.”

Unlike some previous relays, the 2012 torch will not travel around the world. At the end of the Greek tour, the flame will be taken straight to the UK.

Anyone interested in taking part in the torch relay should apply online at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay

The deadline for nominations is 11.59pm on Wednesday 29 June.

Early days for Glasgow 2014

Few local preparations have been made for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, due to be held in Glasgow between 23 July and 3 August that year, but progress will pick up after London 2012.

The Commonwealth Games’ equivalent to the Olympic Torch is the Queen’s Baton, which contains a message from Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth. Its relay route will be announced after London 2012. The 2010 version included a video camera and sound recorder, to record its whole journey, and a GPS tracker.

Training camps will be organised nearer the time. Volunteer recruitment starts in late 2012 (15,000 are needed) but businesses can already apply for contracts. A total of 4,352 athletes from 71 countries took part in the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.

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