MBE for soccer star Quinn

Former Irish international soccer striker Niall Quinn was receiving an honorary MBE at a ceremony in Dublin today.

The award was being made by the British Queen in recognition of the now-retired player’s “outstanding services to international football and his contributions to United Kingdom charities”.

The British Ambassador to Ireland, Stewart Eldon, was formally presenting the award at his Dublin residence.

A British embassy spokesman said: “Niall Quinn’s initiative of donating the proceeds from his testimonial match, between Sunderland and the Republic of Ireland last year, to children’s charities led to his idea being adopted by a number of other players.”

In a comment on the player’s gesture, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: “It is absolutely typical of the individual.

“In circumstances where people in sport often get a lot of bad publicity, this is an example we can hold up to everybody.”

Quinn’s honour will make him a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Honorary awards are presented on merit to non-British citizens by the Queen on the advice of the British Foreign Office to people reckoned to have made an important contributions to British interests.

Last month film star Pierce Brosnan – the current James Bond - received an OBE from the British envoy at a similar ceremony in Dublin.

And last year, crooner Daniel O’Donnell was also handed a British honour.

Quinn started his career at Arsenal in 1983, spending seven years at Highbury before moving to Manchester City in 1990.

The striker’s last appearance for his final club, Sunderland, was in October last year.

He won 91 caps for the Republic of Ireland and received widespread acclaim when he donated the proceeds from his benefit match to charity.

Quinn is patron of The Glass Slipper Appeal which raises money for hospitals in the Sunderland area in an effort to help their fight against breast cancer.

He also has a close association with the Ladies Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin.