nightly television highlight programme. Among the activities carried out during the Games were thorough medical checks on the athletes, some of whom had previously undiagnosed conditions uncovered, as some of the athletes came from countries with limited medical facilities or had difficulty communicating their symptoms. A daily newspaper, the Games Gazette was published for each day of the games. Among the contributors to the Games was the Irish Prison Service. Prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, Midlands Prison, Wheatfield Prison and Arbour Hill Prison who constructed podiums and made flags, towels, signs, benches and other equipment. Volunteer programme 30,000 volunteer officials and support staff assisted in the running of the games, including 900 staff of the Bank of Ireland who coordinated the host town programme and 800 members of the Irish Defence Forces who maintained the radio communication network, and provided support for bridge building, security duties, VIP drivers, standard bearers for ceremonial events. The Irish Red Cross, Order of Malta and St. Johns Ambulance Brigade Ireland provided emergency medical teams at the event sites. Approximately 1,300 members of both Scouting Ireland (CSI) and Scouting Ireland SAI staffed the Awards Teams for all the disciplines throughout the games. 165 volunteers from the then 15 countries of the EU took part in a European Volunteer Project (EVS), the first ever to be organized in event-related mode. The volunteers are commemorated by having their names on a series of plaques situated in Dublin Castle, just outside the Chester Beatty Library. Participating teams Approximately 6500 athletes from 166 countries competed in the games in 18 official disciplines, and three exhibition sports. The participants from Kosovo were the region's first team at an international sporting event. A 12-member team from Iraq received special permission to attend the games, despite ongoing war in their home nation. Ireland was represented by an all-island team with athletes from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Athletes from Taiwan competed under the name "Chinese Taipei". Athletes from the United States were grouped into eight regional teams; Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, North Central, North West, South Central, South East, South West. The following teams participated, grouped by Special Olympics regions: Africa Asia Pacific (Bharat) (Nippon) (Nepa) (Pilipinas) East Asia Chinese Taipei (Korea) Europe and Eurasia Great Britain (Hellas) Ireland (Host) Kosovo FYR Macedonia (Türkiye) Latin Amierca Middle East and North Africa North America Host town programme 177 towns,