BRENDA FRICKER will receive the Freedom of the City of Dublin this year.
The actor, who hails from the capital, will be recognised for her lengthy career and how it has helped tell Irish stories, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam confirmed today.
Mayor McAdam proposed the conferral of the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin on Ms Fricker, which received endorsement by the City Council at a meeting held last night.
The actor won an Oscar in 1990 for her performance as Mrs Brown in the 1989 film My Left Foot.
She went on to star in numerous Hollywood films, including Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, So I Married an Axe Murderer and A Time to Kill.
Ms Fricker also starred alongside Cate Blanchett in Veronica Geurin in 2003.
Brenda Fricker will receive the Freedom of the City of Dublin“Brenda Fricker is one of Dublin’s most distinguished cultural figures and it is a source of immense pride that our city is recognising her in this way,” Mayor McAdam said today.
“My mayoral theme is ‘Celebrating Dublin’, and we do exactly that by honouring a great Dublin woman whose talent, integrity and craft have represented our capital city with distinction across a lifetime of extraordinary work,” he added.
“Brenda’s Academy Award winning performance in ‘My Left Foot’ was a landmark moment for Irish acting and Irish cinema,” Mayor McAdam explained.
“But what makes her career so special is the body of work that followed, marked by honesty, depth and a rare ability to bring warmth and toughness in the same breath.
“Her performances have helped tell Irish stories and have become part of family life across generations.
“This honour is not simply about international acclaim. It is about contribution and the pride Brenda has brought to Dublin and to Ireland.”
The Mayor outlined some of the actor’s work which is among his family’s favourites.
“My son Iarlaith loves ‘Home Alone 2’ and knows Brenda as the Pigeon Lady, a role that continues to be discovered by a whole new generation,” he said.
“My wife Niamh has often spoken about how films like ‘A Time to Kill’ helped inspire her own path into law and public service,” he added.
“That is the quiet reach of great work. It travels, it endures, and it can help shape lives.
“We look forward to welcoming Brenda Fricker for the formal conferral in due course.”
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