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The honour was approved at the council’s monthly meeting this evening, following a nomination by Lord Mayor Ray McAdam.

It received unanimous support from Dublin’s councillors.

Speaking after the decision, McAdam described Fricker as “one of Dublin’s most distinguished cultural figures” and said the award was a chance for the city to celebrate a woman whose work has represented Dublin “with distinction across a lifetime of extraordinary work”.

“Brenda Fricker is not only one of Ireland’s most accomplished actors, she is one of Dublin’s most authentic voices,” McAdam said.

“Her career has spanned decades of stage, screen and television, and throughout it all she has brought honesty, warmth and humanity to everything she does.”

Fricker won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990 for her role in My Left Foot, starring opposite Daniel Day-Lewis, a performance the Lord Mayor described as “a landmark moment for Irish acting and Irish cinema”.

Fricker pictured with her Academy Award in 1990. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“But what makes her career so special is the body of work that followed,” he said.

“Marked by honesty, depth, and a rare ability to bring warmth and toughness in the same breath.”

While Fricker’s international acclaim was repeatedly referenced, councillors stressed that the honour was about more than awards or box office success.

“This honour is not simply about international acclaim,” McAdam said.

“It is about contribution, and the pride Brenda has brought to Dublin and to Ireland.”

During the council meeting, tributes were paid across party lines.

Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan described Fricker as a “national treasure” and a “proud Dub” who had never shied away from her roots.

Green Party councillor Donna Cooney noted that the honour comes just days before Fricker’s 81st birthday, calling it a “very well-deserved” recognition that she could arguably have received many years ago.

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said the decision sent “a very clear message” to artists in Ireland, praising Fricker’s openness about mental health, aging and loneliness, and describing her as “a shining example of courage”.

Beyond her screen work, which also includes beloved roles in Home Alone 2, The Field, Veronica Guerin, Angels in the Outfield and A Time to Kill, Fricker has spoken publicly and candidly about depression and isolation, something councillors said had helped others feel less alone.

The Lord Mayor also referenced the lasting reach of her work, noting that Fricker continues to be discovered by new generations, including his own family.

“My son Iarlaith loves Home Alone 2 and knows Brenda as the Pigeon Lady,” McAdam said.

“That’s the quiet reach of great work. It travels, it endures, and it shapes lives.”

Fricker pictured in The Field. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The honour also comes after Fricker has spoken openly in recent years about the more difficult chapters of her life, including her long battle with depression.

Last year, the Dublin-born actor published a memoir, She Died Young: A Life in Fragments, in which she reflected on her childhood, her struggles with mental health, and the way acting became both a refuge and a means of survival.

Fricker has previously said that work gave her a sense of safety and purpose, from her early days on the Abbey Theatre stage to an international career that took her from Tolka Row to Hollywood.

The Freedom of the City of Dublin is a largely ceremonial honour, but one steeped in tradition. Past recipients include Nelson Mandela, George Bernard Shaw, Ronnie Drew, Greta Thunberg and Stephen Roche.

While the award carries no financial benefit, it symbolises the city’s highest recognition of exceptional contribution to Dublin’s cultural and civic life.

A formal conferral ceremony will take place at a later date.

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