Katie Taylor proudly led out Team Ireland at last night’s spectacular Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Bray woman, the current World, European and European Union champion, was Ireland’s flag bearer for the prestigious occasion.

It is estimated that a television audience of over 1 billion watched Friday’s ceremony.

10,000 volunteers helped organise last night’s curtain raiser which was inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.

Taylor will be in action in the quarter-finals of the lightweight class on August 6th when she meets either Natasha Jonas of Great Britain or Queen Underwood of the USA.

John Joe Nevin and team captain Darren O’Neill will get Irish boxing’s campaign underway at the ExCel venue this afternoon.

Katie Taylor leads out the Irish team