Opening ceremony the best ever, says Eunice

SPECIAL Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver gave her blessing to the idea of Ireland hosting the summer world games again in the near future.

Visiting one the nerve centres of the games at the RDS yesterday, she indicated she saw no reason why the event couldn't return here. "That's up to Ireland. Anything they want to do, I'm in favour of them," she said.

The 82-year-old sister of the late president John F. Kennedy said Saturday night's opening ceremony was the "best ever" in the 35-year history of the event which she created and cultivated from the humble origins of a summer camp at her own home for a few local young people.