Gate Theatre director Michael Colgan has been awarded an honorary OBE in Britain, it was announced today.
In a statement, the British embassy said Mr Colgan was given the award by Queen Elizabeth "for services to cultural relations between the UK and Ireland".
Reacting to the award, Mr Colgan said he was "truly surprised and genuinely grateful" to receive it. "For 27 years I’ve had the most wonderful time working with the best of talent in Irish and British theatre. Bringing Gate productions to the UK and British talent to the Gate has been so rewarding in itself that it seems almost unfair to be honoured for doing so," he said.
"Because I’ve been so long at this fine institution, there can be no question but that this award should be shared by all who have worked with me at the Gate. I know that one person who would have been particularly pleased is my dear friend, the late, great Harold Pinter. I look forward to many years bringing together the extraordinary talent that exists in both countries," he added.
Commenting, British ambassador Julian King said: “Michael Colgan has made an exceptional contribution to cultural relations in the field of the arts between the UK and Ireland. As director of the Gate Theatre for 27 years, he has built up an extraordinary relationship with leading playwrights, producers and directors not only in Ireland but also in the United Kingdom.
"His relationship with Harold Pinter was especially important. In 1994, the Gate produced the first Pinter Festival and over the next decade, produced three more festivals in Ireland as well as the United States."
Noting Mr Colgan was in charge of the Samuel Beckett Centenary Celebrations in 2006 - celebrated in Dublin and at the Barbican in London - Mr King said: " He has given many leading British actors the opportunity to experience the joy of performing in front of a warm and sophisticated Irish audience.
"It is right and fitting to honour the major contribution he has made in raising the British profile in the cultural life of Ireland. I am delighted that this has been marked with an honorary OBE."
The order of the British empire honours civilian and service personnel for public service or other distinctions. Awards to citizens of countries of which queen is not head of state are honorary awards.
Born in Dublin in 1950, Mr Colgan was educated at Trinity College and became artistic director of the Gate in 1983.
During his time there, he has overseen award-winning plays such as Salomé directed by Stephen Berkoff, The Collection starring Harold Pinter, A Streetcar Named Desire starring Frances McDormand, and Three Sisters starring the three Cusack sisters. He has also produced four Pinter festivals and six Beckett festivals.
Mr Colgan was awarded the Irish Times Theatre Award for lifetime achievement in the Arts in 2006, while in 2007, he was honoured with the title Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
He is also a film and television producer and was co-founder of Little Bird Productions.
