Kennedy Center Gold Medal in the Arts goes to Ireland

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presented its annual Gold Medal in the Arts to five formidable names linked with the Irish arts community in June. In a gala ceremony held at Farmleigh in Dublin, the awards were presented to classical flutist Sir James Galway (who appeared on The Lord of the Rings soundtrack); musician Van Morrison; actor and director Fiona Shaw; director, screenwriter, and producer Jim Sheridan; and playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh.
The award is issued by the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts, a board established in 2001 in order to facilitate increased levels of international arts exchange. ♦