2015 Presidential Distinguished Service Awards announced

Actor Gabriel Byrne, solicitor Gareth Peirce and Fr. Brendan McBride, founder and head of the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Center in San Francisco, are among the recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish Abroad for 2015.‌

The Presidential Distinguished Service Awards recognise those who have served Ireland with distinction and those who have actively contributed to Ireland in a sustained manner.

Gabriel Byrne’s award recognises his work as a Cultural Ambassador for Ireland while Gareth Peirce was nominated for her contribution to peace and reconciliation which included her advocacy work on the cases of the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. Fr. Brendan McBride has committed his life’s work to serving the Irish community and he played a central role in providing support to those involved in the Berkeley tragedy in June.

Announcing the recipients of the award, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan T.D. said:

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to these remarkable individuals for what each of them has contributed to Ireland, to the Irish abroad and to our country’s international reputation. Their service and commitment to Ireland is a shining example to us all and they are worthy recipients of this honour by the President.”

2015 Award Recipients

Arts, Culture and Sport
Gabriel Byrne (US)
Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)

Business and Education
Fr. Donal Doyle (Japan)
Niall Fitzgerald (UK)
Charles Handy (UK)

Charitable Works
Sr. Dr. Miriam Duggan (Kenya)

Irish Community Support
Fr. Brendan McBride (US) Maureen Murphy (US)

Peace, Reconciliation and Development
Gareth Peirce (UK)
Tom Moran (US)

For more information about the awards please visit our dedicated Presidential Distinguished Service Awards pages.