Performance poet Stephen James Smith delivered a special spoken word piece to honour the official opening of Team Ireland’s HQ with a humorous and insightful homage to the Olympics.

A special commission by the Centre Culturel Irlandais, the performance was to mark 100 years after Ireland first participated in the Olympics as an independent nation.

Speaking on the event, Smith said it was a surprise that he had been chosen to partake: “I was in contact with Nora Hickey M'Sichili and mentioned that I was thinking of writing something for Team Ireland. I wasn’t actually expecting her to give me the go-ahead nor to present it at the flag-bearer ceremony".

The poet later added: "While on my European tour and busy with my own events, I didn’t have much time to work on this as I usually would with a piece of poetry, so perhaps this is more a piece of spoken word rabble-rousing than anything poetic.

"But as I am a big sports fan, that helped and, thankfully, it seemed to go well. The audience responded with laughter and tears, capturing the moment, which was a relief to me! Make of it what you will; it’s not my best writing, but it is at least heartfelt."

Watch 'Allez Les Verts' below:

 

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