The Irish embassy in Washington is reminding people this week that the deadline for submission of nominations for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad is Monday May 21 at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
Nominations may be submitted either by regular mail or via the following e-mail address: washingtonembassy @dfa.ie. Further details are also available via the "Presidential Distinguished Service Award" page of embassy's website: www.embassyofireland.org.
According to an embassy release, the awards are 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.
All nominations will be considered by a high level panel based in Ireland, which will in turn make recommendations to the government in respect of no more than 10 individuals in any one year. It is expected that the first awards will be presented by the President of Ireland,
Michael D. Higgins, in October/November 2012.
"This initiative allows Ireland to give special recognition to those who have given distinguished service to Ireland or the Irish community abroad. It is obviously important that we do so, in view of the extraordinary contribution of our global family and the interest, generosity and devotion of so many members of that family towards Ireland and its future and towards our people, at home and abroad," said Irish ambassador to the U.S., Michael Collins.
