Irish citizens honoured in Queen's honours list

Movie director and British council chairman, Alan Parker, is to receive a knighthood. The director of the Irish films ‘The Commitments’ and ‘Angela’s Ashes’ is said to be overwhelmed at receiving the honour.

A professor of English at Dublin’s Trinity College is being honoured for his services to British-Irish relations. Terence Brown is a council member of the Glencree Centre for reconciliation in Co Wicklow.

Sligo-born Niall Fitzgerald is also being recognised for his services to British business and public affairs. He is the joint-chairman of Unilever, which owns brands such as Lyons Tea and HB Ice Cream.

Barbara Sweetman Fitzgerald is also being awarded a CBE. Ms Sweetman Fitzgerald is director of the Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social relations, which was founded in 1938 to foster a greater understanding between Irish people and different traditions.

Anne-Marie Hutchinson also gets an OBE for services to international child abduction and adoption. Ms Hutchinson, a London-based solicitor, is chairwoman of Re-Unite, an agency which deals with child abductions.