Dublin-born humanitarian and musician Bob Geldof was presented with a Irish Recorded Music Industry (Irma) award "for his outstanding talents and contributions," in Dublin last night.
The award comes less than a month after was honoured with The Freedom of the City of Dublin for his humanitarian work over the past 20-years.
"There is nowhere else on the planet I'd rather be and no other people that I'd want to be with than those here tonight," said Geldof. "Thanks to the IRMA and the Rats who were a great band. It's great to be Irish and come back and see Ireland suddenly change for the better.
"Irish people used not to be taken serious. Now we are, in terms of music, as Ireland has become a brilliant place for music."
Geldof is one of the most well known people on the planet with his past chart successes with the Boomtown Rats and more importantly his continuing work fighting famine and Aids in Africa.
Born in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, the former music writer, photographer, turned band manager formed The Rats in 1975, playing their first gig in October that year at the Bolton St College of Technology. In 1985 he used his own talent, fame and success to highlight the scale of famine in Africa. Through record sales of
Do they know its Christmas and Live Aid he helped save the lives of millions. Twenty years later he pledged to do the same again, launching Live8. With one concert, nine cities, 1000 artists, and an audience of 3.4 billion viewers, he finally forced a doubling of aid from the rich countries to the poor and the cancellation of unpayable debt from the poorest countries in the world.
All proceeds from the ceremony were to be divided among Our Lady Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, The Irma Trust and The Chernobyl Children's Project.