Wogan to get freedom of Limerick

BBC Broadcasting veteran Terry Wogan will tonight be honoured with the Freedom of the City of Limerick.

The television and radio personality has travelled back to his home town to be bestowed with the award from the city fathers.

One of the country’s leading portrait artists, Dr Tom Ryan, will also receive the accolade at a ceremony at Civic Hall.

US Presidents John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton and businessman JP McManus are among the previous high-profile recipients of the honour.

With a successful career spanning over 40 years, Wogan has become one of the leading figures in British broadcasting.

His BBC Radio 2 morning show, Wake up to Wogan, boasts the largest audience in Europe with nine million listeners.

The 68-year-old veteran is also best known for his light hearted commentary during the Eurovision Song Contest, and his fundraising skills for Children In Need.

Born in Limerick, Wogan and his family moved to Dublin when he was 15 and began his career in the banking profession.

In the early 1960’s, he entered the world of broadcasting with RTÉ and gradually evolved into a newsreader, announcer and radio disk jockey before hosting a number of variety and quiz shows on the new infant television service.

He later moved to the UK, securing a job with the BBC.