A glittering array of the world's youngest and best snooker talent has assembled in Carlow, Ireland, to contest the IBSF World Under 21 Championship.

64 players from 21 countries, together with officials, travelling fans, referees and guests gathered in the Dolmen Hotel, the main event sponsor, for the Opening Ceremony.

And a special treat awaited the players, when Ken Doherty, who is not only a former World under 21 champion, but also the only man to lift the "three" World titles, adding both the IBSF and the World Professional crowns to his honours list, joined the gathering for the evening.

Doherty reminded the players what a proud moment it had been for him, when he won the World Junior title back in 1989, saying it was a moment he always treasured.

"I'd love to come back to watch some of the snooker", said Doherty, "but I have to go to away at the weekend. (Doherty will be competing in the Euro-Asia Challenge in Thailand next week.)

But the "Darling of Dublin" wasn't the only champion on parade.

A warm welcome was given to IBSF World Champion, Pankaj Advani, from India, while former World Billiard Champions Michael Ferreira and Peter Gilchrist accompanied their teams as delegates and coaches.

Adding to the line up were European Champion Mark Allen, and European Under 19 winner Jamie Jones. His Welsh team mate Michael White will be the youngest competitor in the event, having celebrated his thirteenth birthday just two weeks ago.

England have sent four players. Fourteen year old Judd Trump is the English Open. Gary Wilson has just completed a successful first season on the Challenge Tour gaining promotion to next season's Main Tour

Lee Page has just won England's Under 19 tour series to earn himself promotion to the Challenge Tour and Reanne Evans becomes only the second lady to compete in the World under 21s.

Host country Ireland carry high hopes of keeping the wonderful trophy on home soil.  Their bid is led by fifteen year old David Morris, who became the youngest ever Irish Senior Champion in June.

After the meteoric rise of China's Ding Junhui, all eyes will be on Tian Pengfei, Liang Wenbo and Xiao Guo Dong.

The Arabian countries are rapidly rising up the snooker ladder and players from Bahrain and Qatar will be looking to make an impact. Qatar's Nisar Ahmed Saif leads the challenge, having reached the knock out stages before.

Thailand field two "old hands" in Kobkit Palajin and Pramual Janthad, both Challenge Tour players and debutant Jessada Posukarn completes their squad.

Singapore, under the watchful eye of coach Peter Gilchrist, and Malaysia both send players who have already made an impact in international competition, particularly Moh Keen Ho, who impressed at the 2003 SEA Games.

Keen to emulates the achievements of last year's winner Neil Robertson, the Australians, and their neighbours New Zealand, travelled for more than 36 hours to take their places in the line up.

The European countries will be hoping that the title will be channel-hopping rather than going on a round-the-world trip and Belgium, Holland and Germany all mount a strong challenge, while France, Poland and Finland each send one player.

The Opening Ceremony was hosted by RIBSA, the Republic of Ireland Association, who stepped in to organise the event at short notice, following the withdrawal of China.

Guests were treated to an entertaining display of Irish country dancing by local schoolchildren, rounded off by a spectacular rendering of the River Dance.

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