Members of the 50-strong Kazakhstan Special Olympics delegation participated in an Irish jig on Miltown Malbay's Main Street as the village celebrated the arrival of the Special Olympic Torch Run yesterday morning.
Head of the delegation, Lyudmila Khristenko led the way to the traditional music being played and explained that she and others travelled to see a touring Riverdance-style production in Kazakhstan last year to help them familiarise themselves with Irish culture.
She said: "We began to prepare for the Special Olympics one year ago and we tried to increase our awareness of Ireland and seeing a version of Riverdance was one way of doing this."
To witness the arrival of the Kazakh team and the Olympic torch a crowd of more than 2,000 crowded into the west Clare village - more than double the official population of Miltown.
Former Special Olympics athlete, Gerald Minogue led the celebrations by telling the crowd that the arrival of the Olympic torch down Miltown's street "is as good a day as when Miltown celebrated the footballers winning the county title in '59, '85 and '90 and when we celebrated our own Paddy Hillery being President".
A large stage was erected across Miltown's Main Street from where local traditional musicians played jigs and reels for the new arrivals and the hundreds of school children who were given the day off for the special event.
The founder of the Special Olympics movement in Kazakhstan, Ms Olga Bukhareva said: "We have just melted from the amazing reception we have got. Today is a very emotional day and the children are amazed that the whole population of Miltown Malbay has taken part in the organisation of this event."
The Kazakhs were joined by teams from Armenia and the Ukraine on Miltown's Main Street, who are staying with other towns in north and west Clare.
Local volunteer, Ms Geraldine O'Looney said that the arrival of the Kazakh team the previous night "was very emotional".
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