Record crowds descended on Athlone over the weekend, heralding a "new era" for the HSE Community Games.

Forty-five years since its maiden outing, the HSE Community Games continues to capture the imagination of the Irish sporting public.

Some 5,000 children and their families are descending on Athlone in Westmeath today for the Community Games.

The community games chairman Gerry Davenport has admitted there may be no venue for their national finals in the future.