Thomas Keneally to receive Presidential Distingushed Service Award

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, T.D., has announced the ten recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for 2014, which include Tom Keneally, the well-known Irish Australian novelist, playwright, author and commentator.

Announcing the recipients, Minister Flanagan referred to the debt of gratitude owed to these remarkable people, for their individual contributions to Ireland, to the Irish abroad and to Ireland’s international reputation.

Referring to the inclusion amongst this year’s recipients of Tom Keneally, Ireland’s Ambassador to Australia, Noel White, said:

“I am particularly pleased that Tom Keneally has been included amongst this year’s recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award. I congratulate Tom on this signal and well-deserved honour. Through his distinguished career Tom has been an articulate and persuasive voice for Ireland here in Australia. This award is a fitting acknowledgement at the highest level of that important contribution. The Irish community in Australia will take great pride in the decision to bestow this honour on their fellow countryman”.

The awards will be presented by President Higgins at a special ceremony in Áras an Uachtárain later this month.

Full details of the recipients of the Award are available here.