President Michael D. Higgins bestowed the highest honour in the Irish arts world, the title of Saoi of Aosdána, on playwright Tom Murphy.
Aosdána was established in 1981 to acknowledge artists who have made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland. Membership of Aosdána, which is by peer nomination and election, is open to artists engaged in architecture, choreography, music, literature and the visual arts.
The President's tribute to Tom Murphy is available here.