merrion street

Senator George Mitchell, former Intel CEO Craig Barrett and Dr Anne Merriman are among the recipients of the 2013 Presidential Distinguished Service Awards announced today.

Recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad are honoured for their distinguished service to the nation in the fields of peace-building, charitable work, business, education and arts culture and sport, among others.

The Presidential Awards were established by the Government after the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum.

The 2013 awards will be presented by President Higgins in November at a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore paid tribute to the recipients:

All of these people have rendered distinguished service to our nation and helped to build our reputation around the globe. Their contribution is immeasurable.

Ireland is fortunate to have ambassadors and advocates of the calibre of Dr. Anne Merriman in Africa and Sister Cyril Mooney in India, who have helped hundreds of thousands of the world’s poorest people, and Craig Barrett, whose leadership in the fields of technology and education is second to none.

The Irish diaspora has been central to our efforts to build a lasting peace on this island. Senator George Mitchell lent his skill, his reputation and his time to this endeavour and I am delighted that he will be honoured for his vision and his tenacity next month.

These awards also recognise the tireless and crucial work of those like Rodney Walsh in New Zealand and Seamus McGarry in the UK who have looked after Irish citizens abroad. On behalf of the Irish people, I would like to express our gratitude for their hard work and commitment to Ireland over many decades.

The recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Awards in 2013 are:

Senator George Mitchell (US)

Ambassador Dan Rooney

Craig Barrett (US)

John Martin (France - OECD)

Mick Moloney (US)

Anne Merriman (Uganda)

Sr Cyril Mooney (India)

Mary Tilki (UK)

Seamus McGarry (UK)

Rodney Walshe (New Zealand)

Read the full press release

.