Dublin included on London 2012 torch route

Dublin will be on the torch relay route for next year's London Olympics with the Irish capital hosting the flame on June 6, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and organisers LOCOG said on Thursday. "It's going to be a one-day event," Gilbert Felli, Executive Director of the Olympic Games, told reporters.
"It is why it took a bit of time (to finalise). We always pop into the neighbouring countries. Knowing the sensibility of the issue here we wanted to make sure the government was in the loop," Felli said. "We needed to wait for the approval from the Irish national Olympic committee and the Irish government for the route which we got a few days ago."
Felli said protests that marred the Beijing 2008 international leg of the torch relay meant it took a bit longer to finalise the Dublin torch visit. "Regarding the Beijing relay and what happened then that is why it has been taking a bit of time," Felli said. Organisers LOCOG said the flame would arrive in Dublin on June 6 and be carried through the city before a mid-morning celebration at a central location. "I am delighted that the Olympic Flame will travel across the border into the Republic next year," said Irish Sports and Tourism Minister Michael Ring in a statement.