GRETA THUNBERG AND the late Brendan Grace are among recipients of the Dublin Lord Mayor’s Award.

Lord Mayor Paul McAuliffe presented five individuals and two organisations with the awards at a reception at the Mansion House this evening. 

An annual event since 1989, this award ceremony is an opportunity for the Lord Mayor to highlight and acknowledge, in a special way, achievements of both individuals and groups.

Recipients of the Lord Mayor’s Awards include Brendan Grace (posthumous), an entertainer of over 40 years who died on 11 July of this year, drag queen Panti Bliss and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. 

Due to previous commitments, Thunberg was not able to attend the ceremony. Irish children involved in the Friday’s for Future Climate Change marches in Dublin collected the award on her behalf.

Colin Bell was also awarded tonight. Bell founded the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust following the tragic death of his son Kevin in a hit and run incident in New York in June 2013.

Joe Hughes and Karen Phoenix also received an award. The pair set up Lil Red’s Legacy following the death of their 15-year-old son Sean to sepsis in 2018.

The two organisations to be awarded tonight were Dublin Bus Travel Assistance Scheme and Dublin City Liffey Swim.

Previous winners of the award include Jim Gavin, Imelda May, Maeve Binchy, Brian O’Driscoll, Jimmy Magee and Commander Chris Hadfield. 

“One of the great things about being Lord Mayor is the opportunity it presents to confer awards on people who have made a major contribution to this city,” McAuliffe said.

  The Lord Mayor’s Awards are all about saying ‘thank you’ not only on my own behalf but on behalf of all the people of Dublin, to citizens who, through their ordinary everyday lives, enrich this city in an extraordinary way.  

“All are richly deserving of this award. I applaud all of these people for the work they do that makes such a positive difference in the lives of others.”