An estimated 5,000 people are expected to participate in everything from power-lifting to barefoot running, hockey eights, and a motograss championship when Cork’s first World Mini Games kicks off next month.

When Pat Gallagher was pulled out of a job in an amusement park to become the San Francisco Giants marketing director by the club’s owner, Bob Lurie, he was faced with an almost impossible task — selling tickets to one of the worst baseball franchises in the US in one of the oldest and coldest stadiums.

James O’Reilly and his pals on the Ballincollig junior B football team had an idea.