K Club set for electric start after opener creates a storm

FOR a game normally played with the silence of a library, the Ryder Cup yesterday went loud.

Loud music, loud colours, thundering drums, blasting applause, tree-shaking cheers. The opening ceremony was an occasion to let go, laugh, dance, roar and be silly before the very serious business of golfing gets under way.

The 90-minute spectacle delighted the thousands of spectators gathered in the open air, surrounded by rolling greens and beech trees that did just what the tourism gurus said it would — make Ireland look gorgeous.

An obedient sky controlled its gathering clouds, only allowing a spattering of rain to tease the throngs who had rainwear at the ready given the grim forecasts.

It may not say so in the Bible, but after the stroke of meteorological luck yesterday, it was clear to all present that God is a golfer.

RTÉ news anchor and all-round telly babe, Sharon Ní Bheolain, MC’d the event in a shimmering caramel outfit that made her look like an elegantly wrapped toffee. The crowd were certainly sweet on her, cheering her every word.

The theme was traditional with a twist. A never-heard-before Ryder Cup anthem, specially composed by Donal Lunny of The Chieftains, was unveiled courtesy of a full choir and 24-piece orchestra, and the Book of Kells was brought to life through the pageantry of street-theatre groups, CoisCeim and Macnas.

The ancient manuscript turned into a twirling mass of multi-coloured dancers. Fine until the Americans turn up at Trinity College on Monday wondering why the real thing is, like, just sitting there?

Sitting was not an option when Galician musician Carlos Nunez brought his frenetic Spanish-Celtic to the stage. The European wives sitting in a row to the front of the audience immediately leapt to their feet, clapping and swaying in time. Melissa Lehman, wife of US team captain Tom, quickly signalled to her ladies to follow suit and there were wolf whistles galore as some of the braver among them hiked up their skirts and chanced a few Riverdance kicks.

Guest of honour, President Mary McAleese, who attended with her husband, welcomed the players and spectators and captured the mood of the occasion when she declared: “We take our golf seriously but we have fun taking it seriously.”

There were a few lump in the throat moments among the levity, however, as the American and European teams took the stage and the flags of the participating countries were raised in turn by members of the Defence Forces while their respective anthems were played.

Massive cheers greeted the introduction of the Irish players, particularly Darren Clarke, and there were equally fond roars of approval when both team captains, Ian Woosnam and Tom Lehman, kept their speeches short.

Woosnam tried a bit of Irish, delivering a céad míle fáilte that a lesser Welshmen would have left to a native tongue, and Lehman graciously noted the historic links between Ireland and the US before discreetly sending his good wishes to “friends in Walter Reed Hospital”, the military hospital where soldiers injured on duty abroad are cared for back home in the US.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen and Arts, Sport and Tourism Minster, John O’Donoghue were among the other guests, who also included Ryder Cup legends like Arnold Palmer and Irish golfing greats Christy O’Connor senior and junior, Philip Walton and Eamonn Darcy.

Also keeping an eye on the proceedings were tennis ace Boris Becker, rugby star Keith Wood, champion long-distance runner Eamon Coughlan, former F1 owners Eddie Jordan, and businessmen Dermot Desmond and JP McManus.

The spectacle ended with giant inflated golf balls bouncing around the crowds and bounding off startled heads before blowing away into the wide open greens with gay abandon.

The real balls take flight from 8am today and it will be rather more important where they land.