Central London will become a haven for Irish celebrations this summer, with the announcement that the Irish Olympic House will be opening its doors in Kings Cross to coincide with the start of the 2012 Olympic Games. thg Sports Tours, in association with the Olympic Council of Ireland, is pleased to announce that the official Irish Olympic House will be located at the Big Chill House, a stone’s throw from King’s Cross St Pancras station, and its Olympic site services.

thg Sports Tours CEO James Sinton comments, “We are delighted to be partnering with the Big Chill House as it is an iconic brand and its owners bring a wealth of entertainment experience to the table.  They have long been associated with cutting edge music venues and bars as well as the hugely popular Big Chill Festival. This really is going to be an exciting summer celebrating with Team Ireland as it goes for Olympic gold.”

The Irish Olympic House will be a place where everybody can visit and enjoy the friendly Irish atmosphere whilst cheering on the athletes. It will provide an out-of-competition base for athletes and their supporters, as well as representatives of the Olympic Council of Ireland and their guests. Visitors can enjoy the live Olympic action on large screens, chill with a pint and a bite to eat, enjoy an abundance of live entertainment, tap along to a traditional Irish music session or simply relax in the sunshine on the roof terrace.

Throughout the Games, the Irish Olympic House will feature guest appearances from various “Ambassadors” including well known Irish musicians, comedians and actors, who will bring the very best of Irish entertainment to London. We will be announcing the names of some of our ambassadors very soon.

“We want the Irish Olympic House to be the No. 1 party destination at the Games,” James Sinton continues, “and so we are working with some of Ireland’s top artists to ensure we can replicate the atmosphere and excitement of a true Irish night out.  By concealing the names of our ambassadors, we will be creating word of mouth and social media excitement which, we believe, will drive high levels of repeat visitors to The Irish Olympic House, making it the No. 1 entertainment destination for visitors during the Olympics.”

“As a nation, the Irish are famed for their love of sport and of celebration and we are confident that the recently re-launched Big Chill House will provide us with the perfect location to bring the very best of Ireland to our visitors.”

Kings Cross will be one of the main transport hubs during the London Olympics and a frequent “Javelin” train will run between King’s Cross St Pancras station and the Olympic Park, taking just seven minutes and carrying up to 25,000 passengers per hour.

Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland commented: “The London Games are so geographically close to us that we are treating it as a ‘home’ Olympics. Therefore we feel a strong obligation to cater for Irish people travelling to the event to support Team Ireland and to the Irish diaspora living in the UK.  The Irish Olympic House will undoubtedly be a magnet for our supporters due to its excellent central location and superb facilities. It will, of course, be open to all-comers and nationalities and we expect it to be a huge success.”

The Irish Olympic House at the Big Chill House will open its doors for business on Friday 27 July and will play host to an anticipated 40,000 people during the Games, closing on Sunday 12^th August. The Irish House will be operational between 10am and 2am daily. 

Be the first to hear about exclusive ticket offers by signing up online at www.irishhouse-london2012.com.  For up to the minute news about The Irish House, follow @irishhouse2012 on Twitter. 

thg Sports Tours is the official authorised Olympic ticket agent for Ireland www.thgsportstours.com.

The marcus evans THG Sports Tours (“THG”) Company has confirmed the availability of tickets for various athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, equestrian eventing, football, judo, shooting, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and weightlifting sessions, excluding finals.

“For Ireland, the best medal prospect will be in boxing. It is our biggest medal success sport and we have a great young team coming up for London,” Patrick Hickey, the President of the Olympic Council of Ireland recently told The Irish World.

Boxing has been a part of the Olympics since the 1904 Summer Games, and the 2012 Games will include women’s boxing for the first time. The football and weightlifting sessions are also major features of the Olympics programme, and are drawing a lot of interest from the public.

Tickets are only available from the authorised ticket resellers appointed by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and are on a first come first serve basis. THG also has a limited number of accommodation and hospitality packages still available.

THG Sports, which provides sports ticketing services and corporate hospitality programmes at sporting events around the world, is the authorised ticket reseller for Ireland, Greece and Malta, but tickets are available to all European Union Residents in accordance with the provisions of EU Law.  THG is also organising the Irish House in London, open to all those who would like to follow the Games with company, exclusive entertainment and good food.

For further information on the purchase of tickets to the London 2012 Games, please visit: www.tickets.london2012.com or the THG website: www.thgsports.com.

“THG Sports Tours is an Authorised Ticket Reseller for the countries of Ireland, Greece and Malta. All ticket, accommodation and hospitality packages are subject to availability and completed order form to the residents of the above named countries. Under EU rules THG Sports Tours may also accept requests from other country residents that are members of the European Economic Area.”

The question that everyone is going to be asking themselves is how certain European countries will fare in this competition compared to the battles they had in New Zealand only a few months ago. Countries were in a position in 2011 where they were able to warm up against weaker competitors , like the US and Russia, but in the 6 nations each match will be against a decisive and powerful team. On the other hand, the teams will have more time to recuperate after their matches. A final component that will change the dynamics of this tournament as opposed to the world cup will be the fact that the 6 competing teams will not have to worry about facing giants like South Africa, Australia and reigning world champions The All Blacks.

Make this Christmas extra special for a work colleague or business associate by providing them with a THG sports package. THG are specialist in providing corporate hospitality with excellent service and a committed team of event organizers. For business people, THG events allow you to reward your colleagues or strengthen relationship with business associates. Don’t hesitate and book now to guarantee the sporting experience of a lifetime!

Few may know him another reason as well, since retirement the New Zealand rugby sensation has relocated to the town of Windsor in the United Kingdom. Here, along with his wife Alison, Zinzan has acquired an old Bed and Breakfast and has aimed to renovate it with a personal touch. The Frances Lodge is a quaint and refurbished old Victorian property that occupies Zinzan’s time when he is not playing for the amateur rugby team in his village.

Here are a few snippets from Zinzan’s interview and his opinions on a few matters:

On children and playing sports:

“I followed a long ambition of every kiwi boy.”

“I’m a firm believer of what my mom and dad did, which was to sewn the seeds of giving your kids all the opportunities you can and at the end of the teenage level here the sport will find you.”

On the world cup being hosted in New Zealand:

“It’s the fact that the all blacks have a proud tradition, and the success on the field accounts for that. It’s the players that have worn the jersey before that have raised the crossbar for the guys that are there now.”

“Alot of commercial people are involved here- its something that all the players, people the fans appreciate.”

Zinzan was welcome addition to the venue and was excited for the big match in Eden Park only a few hours later when the All Blacks would be in the final against France. Brooke believed that he though New Zealand could win it, but that France had been “banana peels” in past tournaments who could miraculously gain victories when they needed to. Ultimately, the host nation would proudly go on to win the tournament in front of ecstatic home fans at Eden Park. 

Simon led Team GB to its most successful Olympic Games for 100 years at Beijing in 2008 and the seven year campaign to persuade the government and Mayor of London to mount a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.  

Professor Brendon Noble, Head of the School of Science, Technology and Health at UCS, said: “We are delighted to recognise Simon’s unique contribution to British sport with this award. Our Sports and Exercise Science, Science of Health Ageing and Regenerative Medicine courses are all related to Simon’s industry and we value his input. I know that our students will be inspired by his achievements and commitment in supporting some of our country’s best athletes achieve their full potential across British Skiing, the Olympic movement and now football.”  

Commenting on receipt of his honorary doctorate, Simon Clegg said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be recognised by this august academic institution. My career in sports management has been hugely rewarding in itself but I am extremely flattered to receive this award.”  

Simon’s career included the management of the British Biathlon team and Team GB athletes at 12 Olympic and Olympic Winter games, six of which were as Team GB’s Chef de Mission (overall team manager). He was Chief Executive of the European Youth Olympics in Bath in 1995, the largest multi-sport international youth event ever staged in the UK and was the British Olympic Association’s first Chief Executive from 1997 to 2008 before being appointed to a similar position at Ipswich Town Football Club in 2009.  

He was awarded an OBE in 2001 after leading the British team at the Sydney Olympics Games to its most successful performance since the Antwerp Olympic Games in 1920 and subsequently a CBE in 2005 for his contribution to the British Olympic bid. In 2008 he was awarded the British Sports Journalists Association’s annual JL Manning award for the greatest contribution to British Sport off the field of play.

Whatever the case, the atmosphere in the Aviva stadium last night suggest that the squad have well and truly banished the sour memory of the 2010 world cup qualification where Thierry Henry denied the country a place at competing in South Africa. Furthermore, with Irelands economy on its knees in a time of grim economic climate in Europe- Irelands qualification for this competitive and honored tournament will no doubt provide the country with a timely dose of patriotism.  

THG Sports specializes in providing top-tier corporate hospitality at sporting events around the world and is the exclusive provider at the Aviva Stadium. For more info, please contact: info@thguk.com.

Despite the fact that the racers and constructors championship has already been determined, the race over the weekend was an entertaining and exciting one. In the first lap reigning world champion, Sebastian Vettel, spun off the track after one of his tires puncturing. By the time he had brought his Red Bull Vehicle back into the pits, too much damage had been inflicted and he was forced to retire from the race for the first time this season. Though unfortunate for Vettel and his team, its plain to see that his absence from the circuit cracked open the race for some exciting competing amongst other drivers. As the sun began to set after the twilight opening of the race, Hamilton defended from Alonso- skillfully blocking the Spaniard on several occasions. Behind the duo, Jenson Button contended with a malfunction in his car but was still able to stay hold off Mark Webber who applied constant pressure to the leaders. Hamilton came out on top of the race for the first time since the German Grand Prix and was followed by Alonso and Button.

All told, the second Abu Dhabi race was an interesting and exciting event to watch. It has prompted pundits to consider whether or not Hamilton’s victory is a sign that he is on track to recovering from controversial season characterized by race retirements and collisions. The Brit was accompanied by his mother this weekend, who was celebrating her birthday, and in an interview for BBC he gave the impression that he was in a positive attitude. “It’s my mum’s birthday this weekend. It’s great to be able to win while she is here. I feel fantastic. It’s one of my best races. I said that to myself as I slowed down. Being able to hold one of best drivers in the world [Fernando Alonso] is something that is tough to do. I was looking after tyres and managing the gap. The team did a great job with the stops.

THG Sports were providing corporate hospitality at this motor racing event and are involved with a number of F1 racing events over the season. Book now to guarantee a spot at the Abu Dhabi 2012 race or choose from another one of our Motor Racing options. Don’t miss the chance to see exciting racing drama unfold before your eyes.

For more information please contact mktg@thguk.com.

According to the paper, Patrick Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland said: “We decided to go with one of the big international companies. We searched around the globe and discovered that the marcus evans group is the best known and the most professional.”  

THG specialises in sports ticketing services and corporate hospitality programmes at sporting events around the world, and is working with the Council to secure the best possible ticket allocation for London. THG is also organising the Irish House in London.  

Hickey added: “With such a large Irish community in the UK, public and corporate interest for attending the Games is projected to be very high.”  

To read The Irish World article “Hickey has high hopes for London 2012” click here (Fagan, Ciaran. “Hickey has high hopes for London 2012.” The Irish World 29 October 2011, Pg 54)