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THE DUBLIN LORD Mayor has invited the Obamas to accept their Freedom of the City of Dublin award when they visit in September.
The Freedom of the City is the highest and most prestigious award Dublin City can bestow.
Former US president Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were conferred with the honour in 2017 following a close vote.
Councillors voted 30 to 23, with four abstentions, to grant the former US President and First Lady the award.
Opponents at the time argued that measures Obama had taken as president, such as the authorisation of drone strikes, large scale deportations and the support of his cabinet to overthrow the Honduran government, disqualified him from being considered for the award.
On 26 September, Obama will be in Dublin for a sit down interview in the 3Arena with journalist Fintan O’Toole.
Tickets went on sale earlier this month, with VIP ticket packages on offer costing over €600.
In a letter ahead of this visit to Dublin, Lord Mayor Ray McAdam urged the Obamas to visit the Mansion House to accept the honour in person.
“As you return to Dublin, I know that many here continue to hold fond memories of your visit in the spring of 2011,” wrote McAdam in his letter to the Obamas.
Obama’s 2011 visit included a speech at Dublin’s College Green and a trip to Moneygall in Co Offaly.
Obama’s great-great-great grandfather , Falmouth Kearney, lived in Moneygall and emigrated to the US in 1850.
“There was a palpable sense of excitement and pride in the city, especially on that unforgettable evening when you addressed the crowds at College Green,” said McAdam.
“It remains one of the defining moments of modern Dublin’s story- a moment of shared hope, friendship and global connection.”
McAdam further writes that the people of Dublin have “long admired your leadership, your commitment to public service and your shared belief in the power of community, equality and democracy”.
“It would be a great honour to formally welcome you both as Freeman and Freewoman of our city.”
McAdam told The Journal that Obama’s presidency “inspired people around the world—including here in Ireland”.
“The Freedom of the City of Dublin is a symbolic but deeply meaningful gesture,” said McAdam.
“It reflects the respect and esteem in which the people of Dublin, through their elected representatives, hold an individual.
“It connects those honoured with the civic heart of our capital.
“By conferring the Freedom, we’re not just recognising past achievements—we’re welcoming the Obamas as part of Dublin’s story.”
The Lord Mayor of Dublin nominates people for the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin, and a meeting of the City Council must ratify each one.
The Council has conferred this award on 88 people.
The most recent recipients were environmentalists Duncan Stewart and Greta Thunberg, who received the award on Saturday, 21 June 2023.
Other notable recipients include U2, Mother Teresa, John F Kennedy, George Bernard Shaw, and Brian O’Driscoll.
Her name was removed in 2017 and Geldof later said he would accept if his name were reinstated.
While no financial benefits are attached to the award, holders have some ancient privileges and duties which are not applicable to ordinary citizens, some of which have little more than symbolic meaning.
The privileges include the right to graze sheep on St Stephen’s Green and the right to vote in municipal and parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, ancient duties call on each freeman or freewoman to be “ready to defend the city from attack”.
They can also be called on to join a city militia at short notice.
According to a law passed in 1454, any merchant who receive the honour must possess a coat of mail, a bow and 12 arrows, a light helmet, and a sword of their own.
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