Olympics 2012 opening ceremony

Pictures and commentary from the opening ceremony in London

French thing getting people riled. French is the first language of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne it seems

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:26:49 PM
Lauren Jackson is carrying the flag for Australia

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:27:43 PM
Performers at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games do their best Mary Poppins impressions. Pic: Sportsfile.

by Shaun Cronin 7/27/2012 9:28:04 PM
Apart from the boxers there are big hopes for our sailors in Weymouth. All the best to James O'Callaghan and the crews

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:29:15 PM
The lighting in the stadium is awesome!! Still annoying to have everything announced in french first

by annie 7/27/2012 9:29:22 PM
Thank you, Colm for explaining why they are doing the introductions first in French. However it should be English first whatever the reason, am disgusted with that!

by LovesickFerret 7/27/2012 9:30:59 PM
Would love to see Eoin Rheinisch in the K1 Kayak doing well after coming so close in Beijing. Derek Burnett our shooter is a class act also and a gentleman. Special prayers for Rob Heffernan and Olive Loughnane who looked in great shape at Lensbury this morning meeting the Taoiseach

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:31:26 PM
Perhaps its protocol but I don't recall french being the first language at previous Olympics.

by elle 7/27/2012 9:32:32 PM
Usain Bolt is down to carry his national flag

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:33:16 PM
Fast fact: A seventh of the world's population are watching this tonight. So you are in very good company.

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:34:00 PM
Eoin is such a decent bloke as well. This is his third Olympics. It's one of those that so many can medal as the margins are so tight. Show jumpers also could medal be it Billy Twomey, Cian O'Connor or Denis Lynch

by RebelDevil71 7/27/2012 9:34:53 PM
It is nice to see so many smiling happy faces.

by LovesickFerret 7/27/2012 9:35:04 PM
A number of cyclists were arrested during scuffles with police close to the Olympic Stadium as the opening ceremony got under way inside this evening.

by BreakingNews 7/27/2012 9:35:34 PM
olympics.breakingnews.ie

by BreakingNews 7/27/2012 9:35:38 PM
Bonjour!

by Panky 7/27/2012 9:35:43 PM
Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins rings the bell during the Opening Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pic: PA.

by Shaun Cronin 7/27/2012 9:36:09 PM
Interesting to see how the Denis Lynch appeal to CAS will go tomorrow

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:36:17 PM
Some great facts from BBC about the teams

by e_hayes12 7/27/2012 9:36:36 PM
How many of you can find the British Virgin Islands on a map? No sat nav or google earth please

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:37:32 PM
Sounds like the Eurovision song contest

by Panky 7/27/2012 9:38:16 PM
Class outfits on the way from Burundi

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:38:28 PM
Looks like a Eurovision also

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:38:40 PM
There are some countries I have never even heard of!

by LovesickFerret 7/27/2012 9:39:14 PM
Big roar for Canada. They are led by Simon Whitfield.

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:39:31 PM
Fast fact: 205 National Olympic Councils are represented

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:40:40 PM
Cork coming up soon I presume :D

by e_hayes12 7/27/2012 9:41:25 PM
Roy Keane to hold the flag?

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:41:55 PM
God help the flag if it failed to prepare

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:42:26 PM
Fact: Bangladesh is the country to have least gold medals per capita

by e_hayes12 7/27/2012 9:42:53 PM
Reading Triggs' autobiography at the moment... very good.

by RebelDevil71 7/27/2012 9:43:41 PM
Hmm did a bit of maths and 0/anynumber = 0 so not sure about the Bangladesh fact

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:44:08 PM
Each team is led into the stadium by a placard bearer wearing a dress which includes a photograph of Londoners who auditioned for the Ceremony. The front of the garment shows their faces and the back their backs.

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:44:19 PM
I don't think George H liked the more funked up tunes ref the londoner dressed for the opera

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:45:49 PM
I am watching via BBC One and it is good

by algalway 7/27/2012 9:46:33 PM
Ok I stuck with RTE and George the gentleman is good but had a little dig at the music

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:47:34 PM
Wot is the brass thing been carried by each team

by bit stupid 7/27/2012 9:48:08 PM
czech republic blue wellies lol

by annie 7/27/2012 9:48:17 PM
twitpic.com Night of wonder

by algalway via Twitpic 7/27/2012 9:48:52 PM
Something to do with the flame

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:49:04 PM
Just over 30 to go to Katie Taylor and Ireland

by Colm O'Connor 7/27/2012 9:50:55 PM
Music good

by algalway 7/27/2012 9:50:58 PM
Just saw a great one on Twitter... for anyone complaining about the £27m spent on the opening ceremony, it's still less than what was spent on Andy Carroll!

by RebelDevil71 7/27/2012 9:51:01 PM
looking forward to seeing Katie holding the tricolour

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:51:16 PM
Check out newsnight on BBC2 Sky 142 about Olympics 2012

by algalway 7/27/2012 9:52:03 PM
Some of them seem to struggle a bit with the flags

by Eddie Hobbs with Cape Verde!! 7/27/2012 9:52:29 PM