Presidential Distinguished Service Awards

The Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad is presented by the President every year.

It recognises the service given to this country or to Irish communities abroad by those who live outside Ireland.

Wooden plaque awards lined up on a table. — PDSA Awards

Valuable contribution

Whether they’re Irish citizens, entitled to Irish citizenship or from an Irish background, the hard work, energy and dedication of nominees make a valuable contribution to people’s lives and are deserving of our thanks and respect.

Only people who live outside the island of Ireland can be nominated for the award. They must have:

Given distinguished service to Ireland and/or its reputation abroad
Contributed to Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad in at least one of the categories listed below
Supported and engaged with Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad for at least five years, or have made a sustained and distinguished service on a global or international issue of importance.

While the scheme is open to all people living abroad, it is primarily aimed at Irish citizens, those entitled to Irish citizenship and persons of Irish descent, who have made a sustained and distinguished service to Ireland or Irish communities abroad, or on a global or international issue of importance.

The award is not an honours system. It doesn’t give the recipients any legal entitlements or benefits, including Irish citizenship.

Nominations for the award are made through our Embassy network, and are considered by a High Level Panel. The Panel recommends up to a total of 10 people every year from these nominations.

The categories under which individuals can be nominated are:

Arts, Culture and Sport;
Business and Education;
Charitable Works;
Irish Community Support;
Peace, Reconciliation and Development;
Science, Technology and Innovation (additional category introduced in 2016).

The Panel then submits its recommendations to the Government for approval.

Made from Irish hardwoods and other locally-sourced materials, the award is made using a combination of modern and traditional technologies at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Letterfrack.

The concept

Designed by Spear Product Design, an award-winning, multidisciplinary design studio based in Dublin, the award is based on the concept of an open door, which leads to the landscape of Ireland. This captures the welcoming nature of both the Irish people and Ireland as a nation.

The Award ceremony for the 2022 recipients took place in Áras an Uachtaráin on 8th December 2022.

The Awardees for 2022 are:

PDSA Recipient 2022	Category	Location
Morgan Bullock	Arts, Culture and Sport	US
Katie-George Dunlevy	Arts, Culture and Sport	Britain
Joseph M. Hassett	Arts, Culture and Sport	US
Fergus Linehan	Arts, Culture and Sport	Britain
Prof. Wang Zhanpeng & Prof. Chen Li	Business and Education	China
Ciarán Staunton & Orlaith Staunton	Charitable Works	US
Josephine O’Driscoll	Irish Community Support	Britain
Mary Ellen McGroarty	Peace, Reconciliation & Development	Afghanistan
Fr. Richard (Dick) O’Riordan	Peace, Reconciliation & Development	South Africa
Teresa Lambe	Science, Technology & Innovation	Britain

2022 Recipients

Morgan Bullock

Morgan Bullock is a well-known Irish dancer from Richmond, Virginia USA, who took the internet by storm. She is popular on TikTok and other social media platforms for her videos of her Irish dancing to contemporary music, where she blends traditional Irish dance choreography with hip-hop hits to produce something truly unique and exciting.

Katie-George Dunlevy

Katie-George Dunlevy is one of the most successful para-athletes to represent Ireland. Born in London to Irish parents, Katie-George has medalled consistently in elite sport since 2014 and is a triple Paralympic cycling gold medallist and five times World Para-cycling Champion for Ireland.

Joseph M. Hassett

Joseph M. Hassett is a proud Irish American whose great-grandparents emigrated from counties Clare and Cork. He is both an accomplished leading trial lawyer who has successfully handled major corporate and securities cases in trials, appeals and arbitration; and a Yeats Scholar.

Fergus Linehan

Dublin born Fergus Linehan has been the Director of the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) since 2015. Prior to that, he was CEO of Sydney Festival and Head of Music at Sydney Opera House where he championed Irish artists and brought them direct to Australian audiences.

Prof. Wang Zhanpang

Professor Wang Zhanpeng has published extensively in the fields of European Politics and Irish Studies and previously served as Visiting Scholar (on Irish Studies, Sino-Irish Relations, Sino-Europe Relations) at NUI Maynooth in 2014.

Prof. Chen Li

Professor Chen Li focuses her academic research mainly on Irish literature, and has a particular interest in contemporary Irish women’s writing. During the last decade, she has published more than 20 research papers on modern Irish literature in leading Chinese academic journals.

Ciarán Staunton

In the wake of the tragic death of their son, Rory, from sepsis in 2012, Ciarán and Orlaith Staunton (from Mayo and Louth respectively) founded the Rory Staunton Foundation, now known as End Sepsis, to ensure the preventable tragedy that befell them would not affect others.

Orlaith Staunton

Josephine O'Driscoll

Josephine (Josie) O’Driscoll is the founder and CEO of Gypsy and Traveller Empowerment Hertfordshire (GATE Herts) which has operated for over a decade. During this time Josie has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and quality of life for Travellers.

Mary Ellen McGroarty

Donegal native, Mary Ellen McGroarty is the country Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan. She leads 600 WFP staff, who have fed more than 18 million people since the Taliban took over, saving countless lives, and bringing hope to destitute families that feel abandoned by the outside world.

Fr. Dick O’Riordan

Originally from Cork, Fr. Dick O’Riordan is a 78 year old Missionary priest who has devoted his life to a life of service in South Africa. Since his arrival in South Africa in 1967 he has demonstrated a deep commitment to freedom and rights for all South Africans. His life is an example of courage and persistence in the face of adversity.

Teresa Lambe

Professor Teresa Lambe is an Irish scientist working at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute, and is the co-designer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is the most widely used vaccine against COVID-19 in the world. She oversaw studies and trials of the vaccine, and its immune impact.

Visit dfa.ie for more information on the application process and how to nominate someone.