Nash and Northey to keep flame alive

Local boxing legend Charlie Nash and Foyle Special Olympic footballer Kaelan Northey, will join a delegation led by the city’s Mayor, Councillor Kevin Campbell, attending a special cauldron lighting ceremony at Stormont buildings on Saturday.

The event will be hosted by Culture Minister Carál Ni Chuilín, and following the ceremony the delegation will carry one of seven local Paralympic Lanterns to Derry for a special Flame Celebration hosted at the Live Site in Waterloo Place.

Speaking ahead of the flame’s arrival the city’s mayor, Councillor Kevin Campbell, said everyone should turn out to mark what will be a celebration of remarkable human achievement.

“The Paralympic Games will showcase the remarkable sporting abilities of individuals who not only face physical challenges in their everyday lives, but have, through bravery and determination, managed to excel at the highest levels in their chosen field.

“I am honoured to lead the delegation bringing the flame to the city, and I hope that everyone will turn out to show their support for the local athletes, Jason Smyth and Sally Brown, who are taking part in the Games. I have no doubt that they will do the city proud, and exemplify the spirit of teamwork and endeavour embodied by the Paralympic Games.”

Saturday’s events will feature a series of family fun sporting activities running between 12noon and 4pm, and the Paralympic lantern arrives in the city centre at 1pm.

It will then be taken to Derry City Council’s offices where it will remain on display until the beginning of the Games on Wednesday August 29.

The celebration will follow the creation of four national flames representing England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, which will ultimately be united to form one Paralympic Flame.

Groups of disabled and non-disabled Scouts will ascend the highest peaks of the four home nations: Scafell Pike (England), Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa (Wales), Ben Nevis (Scotland) and Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland) where they will create each of the national flames by the traditional method of rubbing flints together.

The flames will then be placed in miner’s lanterns and transferred to the nation’s capital cities, arriving in Belfast on Saturday morning.

Each of the flames will next week be taken to Stoke Mandeville, the home of the Paralympic Movement, before being carried in a special torch relay to the Olympic Stadium in London where the flames will be united to form the Paralympic Flame on August 28.

Sports fans can catch all the action from the Games live and outdoors at the Live Site in Waterloo Place from August 29 until September 9.

For more information about Saturday’s events and for a full listing of events being screened at the live site go to www.derrycity.gov.uk/livesite