The Queen's Baton Relay in Northern Ireland

Hello! In eight weeks' time,

Scotland will welcome the world as Glasgow

plays host to the 20th Commonwealth Games.

The traditional curtain-raiser to this festival of sport

and culture is the Queen's Baton Relay.

For the last seven months, this baton has travelled the world,

encouraging athletes from across the Commonwealth to gather in Glasgow.

Since being launched by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace

last October, the Baton Relay has covered almost 200,000 miles.

Before it eventually makes its way to Scotland,

it will have visited each of the 70 nations

and territories that make up the Commonwealth.

As the baton makes its way towards the final destination

in Glasgow, it will spend four days travelling

around Northern Ireland and that journey began here, at Stormont.

BAGPIPES PLAY

The first official task was the reception of the baton

by the First and Deputy First Ministers.

Dame Mary Peters was on hand to do the honours.

'Then groups of children from four of the local schools were

'the first to get their hands on the baton and start its journey

'around the country with a walk down Stormont's Prince of Wales Avenue.'

What does it mean to you to know that you've played a part in this?

Just really...happy

because not loads of people can do this, so it's nice.

It was kind of heavy but it was a really cool pattern,

it had like metal patterns and the Queen's message lit up inside.

How does it feel to be here now?

Quite tired because of running up that hill, first of all!

From Stormont, it was a short trip down the road to Bangor and an early

chance for the public to see the baton at the Aurora Aquatic Centre.

The next generation of potential Games athletes were on hand

to welcome the baton to County Down.

Andy, great to have the baton here down at the Aurora Centre in Bangor,

you must be delighted.

It's really good to see it, it's the first time I've seen it,

so it's great to have it here.

It builds the excitement going into Glasgow.

I train here every day

and I'm training really hard for the Commonwealths.

The baton has travelled so far and now it's nearly in Glasgow,

something like 60 days until the Games,

so it's really exciting times.

One man who has already secured a Commonwealth gold medal no less,

is Paddy Barnes, the boxer. Paddy, an impressive piece of kit there.

You won that out in Delhi, isn't that right?

Yes, this time, four years ago, I was in Delhi in my second Commonwealth

Games and I had four hard fights for the gold medal, it was brilliant.

It's great that our people are feeling part of the Games

and it also raises awareness - not for the Commonwealth Games,

but for sport, as well.

Paddy, you've already got this gold,

-obviously hoping for another gold this year?

-Definitely.

I train just to win gold.

I'll be going to Glasgow for gold -

-anything else would be a failure.

-Well, every success - good luck.

Thanks very much, Paddy.

CROWD CHEERS

I'll never forget the Commonwealth Games

because when I look back over my life and my career,

it was arguably the best time of my amateur days in boxing.

That gold medal bout actually was the hardest fight I think

I've ever had in amateur boxing.

I was hit certainly the hardest that I'd ever been hit before.

I fought a guy from Papua New Guinea

who'd knocked everybody out in the preliminaries

and Gerry Storey and Pat McCrory had kept that knowledge away from me!

I remember standing on the side of the arena warming up

before we went out and I looked across and saw this guy,

he was enormous, muscles everywhere.

I was thinking, "That must be the light welterweight,"

because every two weight divisions were warming up together.

They said, "No, that's your opponent!"

I remember thinking, "Wow, I'm in trouble here."

He dropped me in the second and wobbled me in the third

and I was lucky to get a close decision.

For me, it was BBC Television for two weeks.

National exposure took Harry Carpenter about three days to

learn how to pronounce my name properly!

That all started in Edmonton, Canada, in 1978 -

a 17-year-old boy.

Standing on that rostrum afterwards, I think

it all got the better of me and I became a little tearful

and emotional, but I think we're all due that.

And Barry really hasn't changed a bit.

From Bangor, the baton made its way towards Carrickfergus

and with the help of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution,

it took the scenic route.

At Carrickfergus, the baton party was piped ashore by sea cadets

who had come from all over Northern Ireland to join in the celebrations.

And next off is the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland

here at the University of Ulster in Jordanstown.

We've worked with a range of athletes

across a wide variety of sports.

Our focus is really to try and get them prepared

and help support them in their performances at world

competitions and the Commonwealth Games particularly this year.

How well-prepared are our athletes this year?

I really have to say the facilities, the system

and preparation is certainly the best I've ever experienced.

Our athletes are very well prepared.

We have a wraparound service around so many of them

and are really looking forward to seeing how they do.

Our women's netball team are about to write

themselves into the sporting history books.

It's the first time a women's team has qualified to represent

Northern Ireland at any Games.

Now, we heard they were a competitive bunch,

so we sent them out for a bit of team building with a difference.

My name is Hannah Willis,

I'm the captain of the Northern Ireland netball team.

I'm Fionnuala Toner and I play wing defence, goal defence.

I'm Kate Carpenter and I'm the high-performance coach.

I'm Niamh Cooper and I'm wing defence centre.

It's huge for Northern Ireland to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.

It's the first time we, as an organisation, have done that.

I think we're the first female team to qualify as a team.

It's a big achievement for us.

It's something we've been working towards for the past five years

and gradually building up.

Kate has been with us now for the past year.

Obviously getting a full-time head coach in the lead-up to the

-Commonwealth Games has been fantastic.

-She's very experienced.

She brings a lot of knowledge from the southern hemisphere.

Tactical things, technical points

and it really has enhanced our gameplay.

I think the biggest difference is that the girls train more.

There's higher expectations around that

and the girls play more competitive matches, so we tour more, we host

more international teams

and the more that happens, the better we get.

On and off the court, we're very close.

We spend a lot of time together and do court sessions every week.

There's a lot of banter on and off the court,

but when we do come on court,

we all play for each other and that's a great aspect of our team.

It is a competitive squad - there's 19 of us at the minute

all fighting for 12 spaces to go to the Commonwealths.

Everybody wants to go and everybody has got a good chance of going,

so that's what you want on a squad - people fighting for positions.

It's fantastic.

Every time you're training, people are fighting for every single spot.

Everyone wants to get better and better

and that's what makes them a team.

A lot of hard work and dedication has gone into it over

the past couple of years so I think it'll be a very special moment.

To play for my country

in the Commonwealth Games really would just mean everything to me.

As a young player in the sport,

I just couldn't imagine anything better.

It'll be an amazing feeling walking out into the arena,

especially being captain as well, so that makes an added bonus to it all.

It's the best achievement to represent your country

and to do it at the Commonwealth Games is

amazing for me and for the team.

And good luck to the girls in Glasgow.

Now, when it comes to bringing home the medals, you can

usually rely on our bowlers, so where better for the baton

to make a stop than here, at the Ballymena Bowling Club.

What is it about bowls and Northern Ireland?

Why do you think we've had so much success over the years?

I think it's the game itself.

There's so much camaraderie in it

and also so much

that they're all wanting to compete in it.

And looking ahead to Glasgow,

what are the prospects for Northern Ireland this year?

We're hoping to do well

because we have been really putting a lot of work into it.

We've been practising from October.

The girls have been all together from there and we are over

at Glasgow for a test series, there on the greens,

so we did well over there.

-We're keeping our fingers crossed.

-Fingers crossed for some medals.

Yes!

Of course we can't talk about bowls without reflecting on the success

of our greatest ever bowler,

Bellaghy's finest, Margaret Johnston.

I was very lucky I was selected to take part in such

a Commonwealth Games.

The first games was in Edinburgh

and I was green, I knew nothing!

It was absolutely amazing.

The opening ceremony, the excitement is unbelievable.

You sweep into the stadium as a group and the people

are cheering and flags are waving

and everybody is on a high.

You're waving at the crowd and smiling and definitely,

as an experience,

if you ever get the chance to get it, take it,

because it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

You like to represent the country you've been born in.

It's something that people really strive for in their sport.

Everybody strives for gold, but any medal - silver, bronze,

gold, we all strive for the gold one,

and whenever you get the gold, you know you've made it!

Day two started with the baton making an early morning crossing

of Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge.

And after that, it was a short trip round the north coast to the

world-famous Giant's Causeway.

The baton has now actually been travelling around the Commonwealth for the past seven months

and world-record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont has had the pleasure

of travelling with it every step of the way - you're a lucky boy, Mark.

-There must have been some exciting moments along the way.

-Absolutely.

It's been an amazing pace to see the Commonwealth,

between two to four days per country,

63 nations and territories before it

got back to the British Isles. Of course, meeting so many

of the athletes who will be competing in Glasgow

and tens of thousands of other people who won't get a chance to be

there at the Games, but got a chance to be a part of the relay.

And we saw some wonderful celebrations -

some real highlights for me were places like Papua New Guinea,

wonderful street scenes there.

Some of the remote islands of the Pacific like Nauru

and then into Africa, seeing it landing in Sierra Leone

on New Year's Day will always stay with me.

You've seen so many beautiful places around the world,

how does this compare, at the Causeway?

This is incredible, this is stunning.

This is about as close as you can get to Scotland - it's only about 40 miles.

It's a stone's throw, as Finn the giant would tell you.

So it's an amazing place to bring the Queen's baton.

I think the symbology of the causeway and the link to Scotland

and of course the athletes who are making their way to Glasgow

-in a very short time is fantastic.

-You're almost home now.

Absolutely, it's been an incredible journey.

-Well, enjoy the rest - thanks, Mark.

-Thank you.

From the Causeway, the baton made its way to Ballycastle

and then across to Rathlin Island where 11-year-old Ryan Cecil

had the honour of delivering the baton to his island community.

I felt good because not many people get to carry the baton.

Yeah, it was good.

And what was it like arriving here in the dock down at Rathlin harbour?

It was good because everyone was there to meet me

and I got a lot of photos and stuff.

Were there ANY nerves?

Er, yeah!

-Just a few?

-Yeah!

It was quite a day for all eight pupils from St Mary's primary school

as they each had the chance to carry

the baton on its journey across the island.

You've got the baton here, the Queen's baton -

-how does it feel to have it at your school?

-It feels amazing!

It feels like a real honour to have it here

and it's a real privilege as well.

What did you think when you heard the baton was coming to your school?

I was really excited

and I got really jumpy!

It probably won't come here again,

so it's a real privilege and I'm really excited.

What did you think when you saw the baton arriving at your school?

I thought it was quite good.

-And did you get to hold it?

-Yes!

-How did it feel?

-It feeled quite heavy.

What did everybody in the school think

when you saw it coming up the hill?

I'm not sure what everybody else thought.

I was just like, "Whoa, that's a lot of people."

It was really exciting for the children.

It was once in a lifetime as well.

We had a relay up the hill towards the school, and each child,

from the oldest child to the youngest child, participated.

They were so proud.

We've talked about the Commonwealth and how important it is

to be a good citizen.

The children here in Rathlin have a fantastic sense of community, and

I think that's what the Commonwealth Games is all about - a community.

Our children do a lot of work

with the older residents of the community,

and they really wanted the older members of the community

to be up at the school today to see them receive the Baton as well.

This is marvellous and great.

I'm glad that I lived so long to see it happen.

The Baton's back on the water again as it makes its way up

the Foyle towards Londonderry.

It was then transferred to a rowing eight,

and at the helm, but just for the day,

international triathlete Aileen Reid.

What a fabulous day for it. I can't believe the sun stayed out today.

What a great day to go down the Foyle. Fantastic.

All set for the Commonwealth Games?

I'm sure this has really whetted your appetite,

setting the scene for what lies ahead.

Yes, I'm very excited to compete on what's almost home soil,

just across in Glasgow is just a short hop, skip and jump.

How nice was it for you coming up the Foyle and seeing all your

friends and family and fans here before you head off to the Games?

Yes, I spotted a couple of faces in the crowd that I know,

and I saw my mum and dad there, down near the council offices.

So, yeah, it's fantastic that people have come out

to celebrate it and welcome here in Prehen.

Day three, and after a dawn visit to Devenish Island, the Baton

has made its way to its furthest point west, with a stop at Belleek.

Visitors from other parts of the Commonwealth had the chance

to grab a few unexpected photos.

From County Fermanagh to County Tyrone, and an enthusiastic

crowd had gathered at Peatlands Park to join in the Baton experience.

Of course, there's always time for a bit of fun along the way.

However, this is one sport that will definitely not be

featuring at the Commonwealth Games,

but we are the best in the world at it - bog snorkelling.

It was wet, dirty and smelly, but terrific. Absolutely terrific.

We're all into sport for all.

Not everybody will be going to Glasgow as an elite athlete,

but lots and lots of people can come to Peatlands

and take part in bog snorkelling.

Absolutely fantastic.

How did you get roped into doing it?

I think I was the one stupid enough,

either that or I was out of the room at the time

and they decided that I would be the one.

Next time, I wouldn't leave the room so early.

Now the next stop on the journey

was at Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown.

Robert, as chairman

of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Committee,

how important is it to get the message across that

the Commonwealth Games are happening and we're very much part of it?

Well, it's very important for us as a team. We need the support.

We need the support of everybody in Northern Ireland

to get behind the team.

There's no better way to do it than in sunshine, with children

and with the Queen's Baton here.

And as the Baton hit the road, there was

an opportunity for hundreds of schoolchildren to join in the relay.

Nothing was going to stop its progress.

Pull!

Then on to Tandragee.

Well, I was quite excited.

Seeing the Commonwealth Baton is such a worldwide thing.

It was really enthralling to be able to carry it through Tandragee.

It was very impressive, so it was.

Especially with the letter from the Queen inside it.

Marksman David Calvert is Northern Ireland's most successful

Commonwealth Games athlete, and this year,

he will compete in a record-breaking tenth Games.

David has already won an amazing four gold medals at the Games.

This time round,

he's hoping to pass on some of those winning ways to the next generation.

Full-bore rifle shooting is long-range rifle shooting.

It's full-bore because it's a larger calibre bullet,

just a heavier bullet.

We fire at ranges from 300 yards, which is the shortest range,

back to 1,000 yards, so over half a mile.

The effect of wind is really significant,

particularly at the longer distances.

A strong wind blowing from the side would actually blow

the bullet about 15 feet.

If you bear in mind that the target itself

is only five feet from the centre to the edge,

then the wind has a huge effect.

We actually do work very much as a team in the pairs competition.

It involves one of us actually doing the basic skill

of shooting the rifle and aiming...

..and the second member of the team doing the coaching.

This time, David will be shooting with 23-year-old Jack Alexander.

I've been coming to Bisley my whole life,

keeping the scoreboards for the Ireland team

before I was able to pick up a rifle, basically.

It can be a bit intimidating working with David,

someone who's as high profile as he is.

You want to please him as best you can.

He's got great potential,

and he's already performing at a very high standard.

I hope that with my experience and his talents,

we can both help contribute towards the team event, the pairs event.

When we train or compete, we exchange information,

we learn from each other.

'You're never too old to learn.'

Get the technique right, as best as we can.

'It's very supportive having David as my partner,'

for someone who's been there and done it as many times as he has.

'Any questions, queries I have, he's there to answer them

'and to put me at ease about them, really.'

'Working with David has been a huge gain for me'

in lots of different ways.

Definitely coming from the left now, for the first time.

'He's got plenty to give,

'and I'm more than willing to accept anything

'that he can help me out in.'

It's Friday, and the final day of the Baton's tour

of Northern Ireland.

After an early morning stop in Ballynahinch,

the Baton visited Lisburn Rackets Club.

Judo competitor Mark Montgomery carried

the flag for Northern Ireland at the last Games in Delhi.

I've been involved in sport all my life.

I've been involved in judo for over 30 years,

I was also involved in wrestling for a time, for about four or five years.

Sport, for me, is a full package.

It gets communities together, it gets children together

and it breaks down divides.

It's fantastic.

For the Queen's Baton to be in Lisburn, I'm from Lisburn myself,

it's special because the kids actually get

an opportunity to come up and touch it and see it.

It's something tangible, so rather than just seeing it on TV,

they can actually reach out and get involved in the Games

before it even starts. It's fantastic for them.

So after its whistle-stop tour of the province,

the Baton arrives back in Belfast, and where else could it be

but the venue dedicated to our golden girl of athletics?

I think the Commonwealth Games are very important,

because when I was 18, I was selected to go to Cardiff, 1958, to compete.

I was, you know, a very average athlete at that stage.

I finished eighth out of nine and ninth out of ten in events

and got into the relay because we were enthusiastic

and somebody else had dropped the baton.

But it gave me the joy of living in a village atmosphere with other

athletes, some of them medallists.

You were queuing up for your breakfast with them.

I think that was a very important part of my development -

that I wanted more of it.

I think over the years there is a self-consciousness about people

from Northern Ireland that has needed to be developed.

By going to a Commonwealth Games, you know you're equal with other people.

You may not be as good as them at that point, but you're equal

with them in ability to make a difference in your sporting life.

My final Games was in 1974 at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games

in New Zealand.

I was invited to carry the flag at the closing ceremony

because it was my final finale.

I chose a discus thrower from Canada,

who was the biggest man in the village,

that he would carry me on his shoulders

so that I could carry the Northern Ireland flag

higher than any other.

As we past the Royal Box, he curtsied to the Queen.

That was a magical moment, and I still have the flag.

I brought it home with me.

Well, Mary, the Baton has been all around Northern Ireland.

Wonderful to have it here at your own track.

It's beautiful, and it's really good that it's probably inspired

a whole generation of young people

who've had their hands on this Baton this week.

I hope they will enjoy sport in the future,

because it gave me such a wonderful life.

Seeing all these young people here today running

and experiencing what this is all about,

which is having fun and competing, is wonderful.

You inspire generations now, Mary.

How important is this Baton in inspiring the future

generations to go on and compete for us.

Well, you just need to talk to these children

and know how they feel about it.

I mean, it's magic for them to have a close touch of this,

which Her Majesty the Queen set of from Buckingham Palace,

and her message will be read at the opening ceremony.

So hopefully they'll all want to continue in sport.

I travelled the world as a result of my sporting achievements

and I'm still doing it to this day.

Well, we hope you do for a very long time to come.

-You'll be there, obviously, in Glasgow.

-Will indeed.

-I'm one of their ambassadors.

-Brilliant.

-Well, enjoy it, Mary, thank you.

-Thank you very much, Claire.

So that's it from us,

as the Baton continues its journey around the UK

before arriving in Glasgow for the opening ceremony

on 23rd of July.

Good luck to all our Northern Ireland competitors.

For now, though, we'll leave you with some memories

of four great days. Bye for now.