President Patrick Hillery sees the enjoyment of young people taking part in a range of sports at the Community Games Finals.
The Minister of State for Sport called the Community Games one of the most influential movements of western Europe.
Organisers call it a festival.
The Community Games are now running for 14 years with half a million children competing for a place in the finals. This is the tenth year that the games have taken place at Mosney.
The President of Ireland has visited the games for the last five years and this year is no different.
There was a serious tone to yesterday's official opening when the games president John McGettrick spoke about alarming problems of drug addiction and the need to provide leisure time pursuits for young people.
Six year old Russell Mitchell from Sligo was the winner of the first gold medal at this year's games.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 September 1982. The reporter is Brendan O'Brien.
