"Truly inspirational" was how the Mayor of Galway described Aung San Suu Kyi last night when the Burmese pro-democracy activist was awarded the freedom of Galway city.
The Nobel peace prize winner has been under house arrest in Rangoon for the past decade, and has "paid a heavy price for her resolute defence of freedom and justice for the people of Burma", said Galway mayor Cllr Catherine Connolly (Lab).
"Galway's voice has now been added to many others throughout the world, who believe that this remarkable woman's courage and determination deserves to be recognised," the mayor said.
Aung San Suu Kyi marks her 60th birthday on Sunday, but restrictions on contact with her mean she is not yet aware of this latest honour conferred on her, according to her sister-in-law, Ms Lucinda Phillips.
Ms Phillips, who lives in Wiltshire, England, accepted the award last night in Galway on behalf of Ms Sang Suu Kyi. She said the event was a "beautiful gesture by the people of Galway".
Her nephew, Kim, one of the activist's two sons, will accept the freedom of Edinburgh on his mother's behalf this weekend.
Aung San Suu Kyi has received many international plaudits, including the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, the European Parliament's Sakharov Freedom of Thought award and the freedom of Dublin city, since she led the National League of Democracy to victory in 1990 general elections.
The military regime ignored the results of the plebiscite and confined her to three periods of house arrest in over nine years.
She has survived physical abuse, deprivation of food, two assassination attempts; and she was not allowed to leave Burma when her husband, English academic Michael Aris, who was Ms Phillips's brother, died in 1999.
"I haven't seen her since 1988, and she hasn't been allowed any contact with her two sons, Alexander and Kim,for many years. Nor has she ever met her grandchildren," Ms Phillips said.
Among those at the ceremony were film-maker John Boorman, who is honorary president of Burma Action Ireland.
The Galway event marks a series of activities planned with the non-governmental organisation this weekend, including the release of a personal tribute by musician Damien Rice, entitled Unplayed Piano. Proceeds will go towards international Burma solidarity groups.
A concert by REM at Ardgillan Castle, Dublin, on Sunday will be broadcast into Burma by a pro-democracy satellite radio station. "While satellite dishes and shortwave radios are illegal in Burma, their use is nevertheless widespread as people seek out alternative news sources," said John Copley of Burma Action Ireland.
" This will be the first time the Burmese people will be able to watch an international music concert in which musicians speak about Aung San Suu Kyi."