A pioneering immunologist and one of the country’s most respected communicators, Professor O’Neill played a vital role in informing and reassuring the public during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Fintan Clarke/Coalesce.
Conferred annually on the Thursday closest to the Society’s foundation date of June 25, this award honours individuals who have made significant voluntary contributions to Ireland in areas aligned with the RDS Foundation Programme: Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Arts, Equestrianism, Enterprise, and Science & Technology, reflecting the Society’s enduring commitment to Ireland’s economic and cultural development since 1731. Professor O’Neill joins a distinguished list of recipients celebrated for advancing Irish cultural and economic life through excellence, expertise, and public service: Rachael Blackmore, Christina Noble, Dermot Desmond, Johnny Sexton and Seamus Heaney, to name a few.