Kellie Harrington describes Freedom of the City of Dublin award as an 'honour'
Olympic champion Kellie Harrington is to receive the Freedom of the City of Dublin. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Kellie Harrington has described the presentation of the Freedom of the City of Dublin award that she is set to receive this evening as an “honour”.
The Olympic champion is to be recognised for her sporting achievements as well as her work in the community at a ceremony later in the Mansion House.
Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland will present Harrington, who took gold for Ireland at last summer's Tokyo Games, will present the award.
Harington said that being recognised by her native city was an honour.
“I am so grateful,” she said. “It gives me and my family a huge sense of pride and I would like to thank the Lord Mayor and Dublin City Council on behalf of my family, my community an all who has supported me on my journey.
Read more
"There is not too many women on this role of honour and I am delighted to be one of three incredible women who will receive this award."
Lord Mayor Gilliand who will also present awards to activist Ailbhe Smyth and Professor Mary Aiken at the ceremony, said the three women "have made a significant contribution to our city and indeed our country”.
A total of 83 people ranging from presidents to prisoners of conscience to people in sports and entertainment, including former Dublin football managers Kevin Heffernan and Jim Gavin, Jack Charlton, Ronnie Delany and Brian O'Driscoll, have previously been conferred with the Freedom of the City.
Meanwhile, Harrington, who missed the recent World Championships because of injury, is targeting a return to action at the Europeans.
Speaking recently to RTÉ Sport, she said: "I'll hopefully be back sparring by the start of July and getting ready for the Europeans in October.
"I’m just getting back slowly but surely and looking after my physical and mental health."
Today's Headlines
Con-Airport | Hilarious Tiktok video depicting cartoon Conor McGregor ‘sorting out’ airport queues goes viral
Bar assault | Mum who glassed woman in the face over claims she had affair with her husband avoids jail
cartel plot | Kinahan cartel hitman Imre Arakas suspected of the murder of UK mobster John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer
'Switching Teams' | Amber Gill says men make her 'feel ill' after last night's Love Island
'left to die' | Three month jail sentence for woman who put her baby in a bin after giving birth
Flight Risk | Vogue Williams admits flying with 3 kids left her ‘shook’
Losing Hope | Irish Love Island star Dami Hope branded a ‘villain’ as Casa Amor kiss shocks viewers
joint action | Gardaí arrest woman at Dublin Airport over human trafficking concerns
battle of the boyne | Two-county car chase ends after young fugitives tried to swim across river Boyne
Court challenge | Gerry Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall claim non-jury trials over Regency murder are ‘unlawful’