MARCH 2006

Friel Honoured at Special Aosdána Ceremony

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, presided at a ceremony last week to mark the election of the writer Brain Friel as Soai in Aosdána.

Mr Friel was first elected to Aosdána - the affiliation of creative artists - in 1982. Asodána acknowledges its members' achievements through an award of honour known as Saoi. At the ceremony in Dublin the President presented Brian Friel with a gold Torc, which is the symbol of the office of Saoi. Membership of Aosdána, which is by peer nomination and election, honours artists engaged in architecture, choreography, music, literature and the visual arts, who have produced a distinguished body of works.

Aosdána was originally established in 1981 by the Arts Council to honour artists who have made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland. Currently there are 220 members in Aosdána. Members of Aosdána may receive this honour of distinction in the arts, known as Saoi, and not more than five artists may hold this honour at the one time. It is the members of Aosdána who nominate and elect a Saoi.

Many Aosdána members were present at the ceremony including Painters Louis Le Brocquy and Anne Madden, Poets Theo Dorgan, Paul Durcan and Paula Meehan, Writer Seamus Heaney, Composers Roger Doyle and Seoirse Bodley.

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