Winter Olympics officially underway and local hopes are on one Team Ireland member with Carlow ties

The Winter Olympics in Beijing are officially underway.

An opening ceremony with a focus on the number 24, because this is the 24th Games, has been taking place this afternoon.

Freestyle skier Brendan Newby and Luger Elsa Desmond were team Ireland’s flagbearers leading out Seamus O’Connor, Jack Gower and Tess Arbez while the sixth member of the crew, Thomas Maloney Westgaard sitting it out ahead of his debut race on Sunday.

See times & dates of their competitions here

Tess’ Great-Grandfather Auguste Neerman was central to Carlow’s sugar industry with her Grandfather, Francis, born in Carlow.

Our Sue Nunn’s been catching up with Tess:

While Carlow County Council’s John McDarby recently told Sue of the family’s ancestry: