IRISH IMPRESARIO Harry Crosbie is to receive an honorary OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the entertainment industry in Ireland and Britain.
British ambassador to Ireland Dominick Chilcott contacted Mr Crosbie yesterday morning to confirm Queen Elizabeth’s formal approval of the honorary award, according to the embassy.
The ambassador, who was on holiday in France, received confirmation of the honour from Britain’s foreign and commonwealth office.
The award is expected to be presented later this year.
Mr Crosbie was one of the main organisers of the special concert for the queen in Dublin last year at the convention centre.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Crosbie paid tribute to his business partners at LiveNation.
He said he wanted to “single out the performers and crew who gave so freely of their time and talent, which made the concert for the queen’s visit such a huge international success”.
Mr Crosbie’s statement also included comments from U2 manager Paul McGuinness, who described Mr Crosbie as the “mayor of the docklands”.
He said Mr Crosbie had built “three of the best venues in the world” in Vicar Street, the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and the O2.
Broadcaster Gay Byrne said the honour was “well, well deserved”.
According to the website of the British monarchy, the only criteria for the Order of the British Empire, created in 1917, is “valuable service”.
Citizens from other countries may also receive an honorary award “for services rendered to the United Kingdom and its people”.
Honorary awards to non-British citizens are usually presented to the recipient at the British embassy in their home country.
The most recent honorary award from the queen to an Irish citizen was an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) awarded in June to golfer Mary McKenna in recognition of her services to ladies’ amateur golf in Britain and Ireland.
The MBE was presented to Ms McKenna by Mr Chilcott at a ceremony at his Dublin residence, Glencairn.
