Former Irish Press London editor Aidan Hennigan made a bit of history yesterday when he received his honorary OBE on "Irish" soil at the Irish Embassy in London.
Despite some apparently raised civil-service eyebrows in Whitehall, Secretary of State Peter Hain went ahead with the presentation during an embassy reception to celebrate Mr Hennigan's award after the planned formal presentation ceremony at the Northern Ireland Office had to be cancelled at short notice.
Mr Hain had been due to present the honorary OBE on behalf of Queen Elizabeth at noon, but like other cabinet ministers was called away to events marking the launch of Labour's campaign for the May local elections. Rather than cancel the event, however, Mr Hain travelled back from Portsmouth to honour Mr Hennigan at the mid-afternoon event hosted by Ambassador Dáithí Ó Ceallaigh and his wife, Antoinette.
Many guests had travelled from Ireland to see Mr Hennigan, (80), now London correspondent of the Examiner, receive his award in recognition of his services to journalism and Anglo-Irish relations. Among those present from Dublin were former foreign affairs minister Peter Barry and ex-RTÉ London editor Mike Burns MBE.
Mr Hain said Mr Hennigan had observed and reported on the often turbulent, developing relationship between the UK and Ireland and had contributed to that developing relationship "while remaining a thoroughly committed professional of the highest journalistic integrity".
A letter to Mr Hennigan from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern congratulated him on his award and praised his "insightful reporting from London during a turbulent and sensitive period in the recent history of our two nations".