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The Irish Missionary Union’s Award Ceremony was held on 27th November 2013 at City Hall, Dublin, Ireland.

Mrs. Sabina Higgins, wife of the Irish President  Michael D Higgins, hailed the “great and well-earned reputation” of Irish missionaries as she addressed the inaugural awards ceremony for returned missionaries who have served overseas for more than 40 years. Each was presented with a medal depicting the IMU logo.

Mrs Higgins told the gathering of 220 missionaries that they were “known in particular for the respect that they displayed towards the people they lived among and their culture”. The tireless work of the missionaries around the world in education, medicine and development work is something of which Ireland can be “truly proud”, she said and laid the foundation for Ireland’s present overseas aid and development cooperation programme.

Click here to read a letter sent to Fr. Michael J. Kelly from Taoiseach Enda Kenny.