The actor David Kelly received the special tribute award at The Irish Times/ESB Theatre Awards, presented in Dublin last night.
Approximately 450 people from the worlds of business and theatre attended, including the ESB chief executive, Mr Pádraig McManus; Mr Gerry Smyth, managing editor of The Irish Times; and Ms Karen Fricker, chairwoman of the judging panel.
Also present were the two other judges, Mr Brian Singleton and Ms Maureen Kennelly.
David Calder won the best actor award for his performance as Angus in The Drawer Boy, which was produced for the Galway Arts Festival and at the Peacock Theatre in Dublin.
The recipient of the best actress award was Eleanor Methven for her performance as Maggie in the An Gríanán production of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa.
Other recipients last night included Clara Simpson, who won the best supporting actress award for her performance as Mrs Haze in Lolita, at the Corn Exchange and Peacock Theatres.
Winner of the best supporting actor award was Fergal McElherron, who played multiple roles in the Performance Corporation production of Candide, adapted from Voltaire.
The best production of an opera award went to the Opera Theatre Company, for its production of The Emperor of Atlantis, while the best set designer award was presented to John Comiskey for the Rough Magic production of Copenhagen.
The best costume designer award was presented to Joan O'Clery for Lolita, with Sinéad McKenna winning the best lighting designer award for the Semper Fi (Ireland) production of Ladies and Gents.
The best director award was won by Garry Hynes for her productions of The Good Father and Sive at Druid.
The best new play was Caught Red Handed by Tim Loane for the Tinderbox company, while the best production award went to Copenhagen by Rough Magic.
The judges' special award for best adaptation went to the Performance Corporation production of Candide, adapted from the Voltaire novel by Tom Swift and Jo Mangan.
This year's judges were Karen Fricker, critic and editor of Irish Theatre Magazine, Brian Singleton, acting head of the School of Drama at the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin, and Maureen Kennelly, arts consultant and former director of Kilkenny Arts Festival.
The host last night was actor and comedian Risteard Cooper.
There will be comprehensive coverage of last night's events in The Irish Times tomorrow.
The highlights of the evening will be shown in a special edition of RTÉ1's The View at 11.50 tonight.