President Catherine Connolly to receive the Freedom of largest town in Tipperary

President Catherine Connolly is to be conferred with the Freedom of the Borough of Clonmel.

The honour will be bestowed on the President at a ceremony in the Town Hall, beginning at 2pm on Friday week, May 22.

She will be honoured "in recognition of her elevation to the office of President of Ireland, and in recognition of her outstanding

contribution to the academic, cultural, artistic and political life of our country".

The Freedom of the Borough of Clonmel is the highest civic honour bestowed by the town on dignitaries or people who have made exceptional contributions to the common good. 

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It originates from a 1608 royal charter by James I, which established Clonmel as a free borough.

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Previous recipients have included Charles Stewart Parnell, William Ewart Gladstone, John Dillon, Richard Alphonsus Sheehan, Edward Meagher Condon, John O’Callaghan, Constance Markievicz, Richard Downey, President Sean Tomas Ó Ceallaigh, Daniel Mannix, Edward Wilfred F. Clancy, Thomas Quinlan, President Eamon De Valera, Michael Cardinal Browne, Dr. Pat O’Callaghan, An tAthair Colmcille, Seamus Ó Conbhuí, President Mary Robinson, Sr. Joachim Lombard, President Mary McAleese, Brendan Long, Sean Treacy and President Michael D. Higgins.

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