Ireland has awarded its highest diasporan honour to Queensland’s Séamus Sullivan. 

Queensland Irish Association Vice President Séamus travelled to Dublin in January to pick up his Presidential Distinguished Service Award for his support for the Irish community in Australia.

The award was conferred by President Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin, followed by a dinner hosted by the Tánaiste Micheál Martin, with the Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, in Dublin Castle.

Séamus has contributed to the Irish Australian community in many different ways over the past 50 years, including assisting those in personal crisis, and promoting and sharing Irish culture in Brisbane, Queensland, and Australia. He has been awarded in the category of Irish Community Support.

Séamus was instrumental in introducing Gaelic football and hurling to Queensland 50 years ago, serving as the President of the Gaelic Football and Hurling Association of Australasia for over 30 years, while also the President of the Gaelic Football and Hurling Association of Queensland.

Séamus has also been a key driver of the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade and Brisbane Irish Festival through his role as President of the St Patrick’s Day Parade Association. His work on the parade, along with his involvement in Gaelic Football, has introduced many people to Irish culture.

Séamus is a founding member and former President of the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland, which provides support to members of the Irish Australian community in Queensland facing difficult situations such as alcohol and substance abuse, death of loved ones, domestic violence, and housing and financial crisis.

In recent years, Séamus has been President of the Queensland Irish Association, and currently holds the role of Vice President, working tirelessly in promoting Irish culture in Queensland.

The Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish Abroad recognises the service given to Ireland or to Irish communities abroad by those who live outside Ireland. 

Thirteen people have been chosen to receive a Presidential Distinguished Service Award for 2023, coming from fields such as law, science, the arts, and business. 

The Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad was established by the government in 2012, and to date 120 people have been conferred with the award. 

This year has seen awards conferred on people across seven continents and Séamus is the only one from the Irish diaspora in Australia.

Séamus was born in Tipperary in 1942 and emigrated first to England, and then to Australia in 1972. 

Séamus was recognised for his community work by Brisbane City Council in 2020, being presented with a Citizen of the Year award.

*This story was published in the February 1st edition of Anglo&Celtic magazine

Picture: Séamus Sullivan, left and his family (daughter Marie Sullivan, son-in-law Alan Stocker and nephew Ciaran Murrihy) with President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, front centre. Cover picture: Séamus with Tánaiste Micheál Martin. Credits: Supplied by Marie Sullivan