Freedom of the City of Dublin


The Freedom of the City of Dublin is awarded by Dublin City Council after approving a person nominated by the Lord Mayor. Eighty-two people have been honoured under the current process introduced in 1876. Most honourees have made a contribution to the life of the city or of Ireland in general, including politicians, public servants, humanitarians, artists and entertainers; others were distinguished members of the Irish diaspora and foreign leaders, honoured visiting Dublin. Honourees sign the roll of freedmen in a ceremony at City Hall or the Mansion House and are presented with an illuminated scroll by the Lord Mayor.

Ancient privileges and duties

In ancient boroughs such as Dublin, a royal charter established the privileges of the "burgesses". Admission as a freeman or citizen was by principally granted to members of the guilds represented on Dublin Corporation and others by "special grace", as well as by marriage or descent from existing citizens. The wealthy could buy freedom by paying a "fine", and some of the penal laws facilitated Protestant immigrants' becoming freemen.
Ancient charters were superseded for municipal governance purposes by the Municipal Corporations Act 1840 and for all other non-ceremonial purposes by the Local Government Act 2001. Nevertheless, ancient privileges and duties of freemen are sometimes cited in relation to the modern award. Rights included:
Freedmen had a duty to defend the city and could be called into the militia at short notice. In 1454, apprentices to be admitted freemen needed a bow and sword, while merchants additionally needed a coat of mail and helmet.

Honorary Freedom

While the Representation of the People Act 1918 abolished the franchise rights of freemen, the Municipal Privileges Ireland Act 1876 allowed the creation of "Honorary Freemen". This was retained by Local Government Act 1991 and currently the Local Government Act 2001.
No.
NameResolutionSignatureCountryFieldNotes
14 September 187616 October 1876IrelandPolitics
21 November 18777 November 1877EnglandPolitics
330 December 18783 January 1879United StatesPolitics / MilitaryFormer President and General in the Union Army
4Edward Eells Potter26 April 18804 May 1880United StatesDiplomacy / MilitaryUnited States Navy Commander; captained the USS Constellation carrying relief aid for the 1879 Irish famine.
53 January 188216 August 1882IrelandPolitics
63 January 188216 August 1882IrelandPolitics
710 August 18851 September 1885Ireland / AustraliaPoliticsHad just returned from Australia to contest North Meath in the November general election.
822 July 18872 August 1887United StatesPolitics
922 July 18872 August 1887IrelandPolitics
9a10 December 188724 October 1893IrelandPolitics-
9b28 December 1887 Did not sign rollIrelandPolitics
1016 January 18882 February 1888EnglandPoliticsFor supporting the First Home Rule Bill
1116 January 18882 February 1888EnglandPoliticsFor supporting the First Home Rule Bill as Chief Secretary for Ireland
121 October 18884 October 1888Ireland / AustraliaReligion: CatholicCardinal, Archbishop of Sydney
1319 September 188920 September 1889EnglandActivism / PoliticsSuffragist who had just had her election to London County Council overturned.
1419 September 188920 September 1889EnglandPolitics / ActivismRadical MP and suffragist
1514 March 189230 June 1892IrelandEducation / Religion: Church of IrelandProvost of Trinity College Dublin during its tercentenary
1623 December 18922 January 1893EnglandPoliticsThen Lord Mayor of London. of the Knill baronets.
1718 December 19013 April 1902IrelandPolitics
1830 October 19013 April 1902IrelandPolitics
1929 June 19067 August 1906IrelandCulture: Irish languageUnder his pen name An Craoibhín Aoibhín
202 September 1907 Did not sign rollIrelandPublic service: civil engineeringDublin City Engineer
20a10 February 1908 Did not sign rollIreland / EnglandCulture: art : collectorHad established the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art
211 July 190724 August 1908United StatesPoliticsTammany Hall boss
2228 September 19094 October 1909IrelandActivismCo-accused of the Manchester Martyrs
2330 September 191020 February 1911Ireland Public service: medicine
2418 July 191122 April 1912GermanyCulture: Irish languageExpunged 15 March 1915 due to anti-German feeling in World War I; restored 19 April 1920.
2518 July 191122 April 1912IrelandCulture: Irish languagePriest
25a5 August 1920 Did not sign rollAustralia / IrelandReligion: CatholicArchbishop of Melbourne
263 September 19236 September 1923Ireland / United StatesCulture: music
2730 June 19283 July 1928GermanyAviationBremen transatlantic aircraft owner
2830 June 19283 July 1928GermanyAviationBremen transatlantic aircraft pilot
2930 June 19283 July 1928United StatesAviationBremen transatlantic aircraft navigator
3025 August 192830 August 1928United StatesPolitics / DiplomacyUnited States Secretary of State who had recently instigated the Kellogg–Briand Pact
312 May 193227 June 1932ItalyReligion: CatholicCardinal, papal legate during 1932 Eucharistic Congress in Dublin
3212 August 193517 September 1935Ireland / EnglandCulture: art : painter
334 May 19368 June 1936IrelandPublic service: civil engineering
344 March 194628 August 1946Ireland / EnglandCulture: literature / drama
3516 September 194916 September 1949United StatesReligion: CatholicCardinal, Archbishop of Boston
3616 September 194916 September 1949United StatesPoliticsGovernor of Massachusetts
374 May 19532 June 1953IrelandDiplomacyThen President of Ireland
384 May 19532 June 1953IrelandReligion: CatholicCardinal Archbishop of Armagh
3912 July 195427 July 1954United StatesReligion: CatholicApostolic Nuncio to Ireland
447 November 195526 July 1956United States / Ireland Culture: art : collector
4511 August 195828 October 1958AustraliaReligion: CatholicBishop of Bathurst
461 May 196122 June 1961ArmeniaReligion: Catholic: ArmenianCardinal, papal legate for the Patrician Year Congress held at Croke Park.
4716 July 196223 August 1962IrelandReligion: CatholicCardinal, former Master General of the Dominican Order; received freedom of Limerick and Drogheda on the same trip to Ireland.
4827 May 196328 June 1963United StatesPolitics / DiplomacyDuring state visit to Ireland
4911 June 197322 June 1973England / Ireland Culture: dramaCo-founder of the Gate Theatre
5011 June 197322 June 1973England / Ireland Culture: dramaCo-founder of the Gate Theatre
513 February 19757 March 1975IrelandPolitics / DiplomacyFormer Taoiseach and President
523 February 19757 March 1975Ireland PoliticsFormer Taoiseach, alternately with de Valera
5324 September 197929 September 1979Poland / VaticanReligion: Catholic / DiplomacyDuring official visit
5422 June 198428 June 1984Ireland Culture: dramaActor
5522 June 198428 June 1984Ireland Culture: dramaActress
5620 February 19854 March 1985JapanDiplomacyThen Crown Prince, during official visit
5720 February 19854 March 1985JapanDiplomacyThen Crown Princess, during official visit
5828 September 198729 September 1987Ireland Sport: cyclingAfter winning 1987 Tour de France
5918 July 19881 July 1990South AfricaActivismAwarded on 70th birthday, while in prison; enrolled by proxy by Oliver Tambo on 21 September 1988; signed in person after his release.
604 March 199122 April 1991IrelandDiplomacyFormer President of Ireland
611 February 19932 June 1993Albania / IndiaReligion: Catholic / Activism
6211 April 199426 May 1994EnglandSport: soccerThen manager of the Republic of Ireland national team
636 November 19951 December 1995United StatesPolitics / DiplomacyDuring official visit during the Northern Ireland peace process
6412 April 199911 May 1999Ireland Culture: broadcasting
651 November 199918 June 2012BurmaActivismGranted in 1999 while she was under house arrest, Suu Kyi signed for her award in 2012 during a visit to Ireland. The Council voted 59–2 to revoke her award on 13 December 2017 over human rights abuses against the Rohingya people in Myanmar.
661 November 199918 March 2000Ireland Culture: musicU2 manager
671 November 199918 March 2000Ireland / WalesCulture: musicU2 member
681 November 199918 March 2000Ireland Culture: musicU2 member
691 November 199918 March 2000Ireland / EnglandCulture: musicU2 member
701 November 199918 March 2000Ireland Culture: musicU2 member
713 December 20019 January 2002RussiaPolitics / Diplomacy / Activism
721 March 200417 May 2004Ireland Sport: Gaelic footballPlayer and manager of the Dublin intercounty team
735 September 20055 March 2006Ireland Sport: athleticsWon the 1956 Olympic 1500 m
745 September 20055 March 2006Ireland Activist / Culture: musicLive Aid organiser and Boomtown Rats lead singer
Geldof returned his award in November 2017 in protest over Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi also holding the accolade, stating that he does not "wish to be associated in any way with an individual currently engaged in the mass ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people of north-west Burma." Suu Kyi's award was revoked by the Council about a month later, though Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha denied the decision was influenced by protests by Geldof and members of U2. At the same meeting, the Councillors voted 37–7 to remove Geldof's name from the Roll of Honorary Freemen.
755 February 200724 May 2007Ireland Culture: literature : poetry
765 February 200724 May 2007Ireland Culture: art : painter-
774 November 201322 March 2014Ireland Activism / Religion: CatholicJesuit homeless campaigner
784 November 201322 March 2014Ireland Sport: rugby unionCaptain of the Ireland national team
791 September 201428 February 2015Ireland Activism / Religion: CatholicCapuchin homeless campaigner
801 September 201428 February 2015Ireland Sport: soccerFormer captain and manager of the Republic of Ireland national team
817 February 2017TBDUnited StatesPoliticsFormer President of the United States of America; for "moderating and progressive" influence on the world stage.
827 February 2017TBDUnited StatesPoliticsFormer First Lady of the United States of America; for work for the education of girls around the world and on behalf of refugees.

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