Saoi Explained

Saoi (in Irish pronounced as /sˠiː/, plural Saoithe; literally "wise one"; historically the title of the head of a bardic school) is the highest honour bestowed by Aosdána, a state-supported association of Irish creative artists. The title is awarded, for life, to an existing Aosdána member. There are at most seven living Saoithe at any time;[1] a limit increased from five in 2007–08.[2] At the conferring ceremony, a torc (a twist/spiral of gold, worn around the neck) is presented to the Saoi, typically by the President of Ireland.

Nominating process

A committee of ten members of Aosdána referred to as the Toscaireacht[3] monitor and manage the nominating process to confirm adherence to the established rules. Fifteen members of the Aosdána must nominate a candidate of merit and distinction. An election by secret ballot then occurs with all members. Approval is determined by at least 50% + 1 of the membership voting approval.

Only one nomination per vacancy may be processed through an election at a time. If multiple candidate submissions are received, they go through the election process one at a time until a successful approval is declared. Subsequent nominees are held until there is a future vacancy.

List

Saoithe of Aosdána[4]
Name Field Elected Invested Died Refs
Literature (in absentia) 1989 [5] [6]
Literature 1991 [7]
Visual arts 1994 [8] [9]
Literature 1996 [10] [11]
Visual arts 2012 [12]
Visual arts 2003 [13]
Literature 2007 [14] [15]
Literature 2000 [16]
Literature 2013 [17] [18]
Literature 2016 [19] [20]
Literature 2015 [21]
Visual arts 2014 [22] [23]
Visual arts 2023 [24]
Music 2023 [25] [26]
Literature [27] [28]
Literature 2024
Visual arts [29]
Visual arts living [30] [31]
Literature 2018 [32]
Music living [33]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Saoi Award and Nomination Process . 2008-05-13 .
  2. Web site: President of Ireland Mary McAleese honours the artist Patrick Scott at a special Aosdána ceremony. 11 July 2007. Arts Council of Ireland. 5 February 2015. Members of Aosdána may receive this honour of distinction in the arts, known as Saoi, and not more than five artists may hold this honour at any one time..
  3. Web site: Toscaireacht Committee and Current Membership . 2008-05-13 .
  4. Web site: Former members. Aosdána. 29 January 2015. and Web site: Current members. Aosdána. 29 January 2015.
  5. Book: Arts Council of Ireland . PDF . Annual Report 1984 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1984.pdf#page=11 . Aosdána. 0790-1593 . 0906627079 . 11 . At the October General Assembly, Mr Samuel Beckett was elected as the first Saoi. In accordance with the regulations of Aosdána Uachtarán na hÉireann presents a Tore in recognition of the honour of Saoi to the recipient. By the end of the year arrangements were being made with Áras An Uachtaráin to give effect to this. .
  6. Book: Lendennie. Jessie. Hickson. Paddy. The Salmon Guide to Creative Writing in Ireland. 1991. Salmon Pub.. 9780948339660. 28.
  7. Book: Arts Council of Ireland. Annual Report 1986 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1986.pdf#page=10 . PDF . 1988. 0906627176. 0790-1593. 10. Aosdána. The Members of Aosdána elected Sean O’Faoláin as Saoi the highest honour for artistic achievement. Uachtarán na hEireann, Dr. Patrick Hillery, visited Dr. O’Faoláin in his private residence to present to him the Torc which is the symbol of the office of Saoi..
  8. Book: Arts Council of Ireland . PDF. Annual Report 1987 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1987.pdf#page=12. Aosdána. 0906627230. 0790-1593. 12. A new Saoi was elected in 1987, Patrick Collins, visual artist. At a special ceremony in Aras an Uachtaráin, Uachtarán na hEireann, Dr Patrick Hillery, presented Patrick Collins with the Torc which is the symbol of the office of Saoi..
  9. Web site: Lot 163: "Mountain Lake". "Important Irish Art": 8 December 2004. Adam's auctioneers. Patrick Collins ... was also a member of Aosdana and was elected Saoi in 1987.. 29 January 2015. Dublin.
  10. Book: Arts Council of Ireland . PDF. Annual Report 1993 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1993.pdf#page=13. Aosdána. 0906627559. 0790-1593. 13. Three new Saoi, Mary Lavin, Louis le Brocquy and Tony O'Malley, were elected by the membership.
  11. Briggs. Sarah. 1996. Mary Lavin: Questions of identity. Irish Studies Review. 4. 15. 10–15. 0967-0882. 10.1080/09670889608455532. She was elected 'Saoi' by Aosdana, in 1992, for her outstanding achievement in literature..
  12. Web site: Louis le Brocquy. Former Members. Aosdána. 29 January 2015.
  13. Web site: Holding on to the Outside, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare. 2002. Irish Museum of Modern Art. Tony O’Malley ... is a member of Aosdána and was elected Saoi in 1993.. 29 January 2015.
  14. Book: Arts Council of Ireland . PDF. Annual Report 1996 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1996.pdf#page=23. Aosdána Report. 0790-1593. 0902267788 perhaps should actually be 0906627788 to keep the publisher's part of the ISBN the same as the other years, but I can't find anything to prove that -->. 18. In March, Benedict Kiely, novelist, short story writer and journalist, was elected to the office of Saoi in Aosdána. In October this honour was also conferred upon the ninety-four year old writer, Francis Stuart, a most important and controversial figure in the history of 20th century Irish literature. Both men were presented with the gold torc, the symbol of the Saoi, by President Mary Robinson at ceremonies at the Arts Council offices..
  15. Web site: Benedict Kiely. Former Members. Aosdána. 29 January 2015.
  16. Web site: Francis Stuart. Former Members. Aosdána. 29 January 2015.
  17. Book: Arts Council of Ireland . PDF. Annual Report 1998 . http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Content/Research_and_Publications/All/An_Chomhairle_Ealaion_1998.pdf#page=12. Aosdána Report. 0790-1593. 0902267893 perhaps should be actually 0906627893 to keep the publisher's part of the ISBN the same as the other years, but I can't find anything to prove that -->. 9. In 1998, a General Assembly and a Pre-Assembly meeting were held, poet Seamus Heaney was elected to the position of Saoi.
  18. News: Heaney's gift of seeing beauty in everything. Lynch. Brian. 30 August 2013. Irish Independent. He was a founder member of Aosdána and was elected a Saoi in 1997. 29 January 2015.
  19. Web site: Aosdána . PDF. Annual Report 2003. 0790-1593. https://web.archive.org/web/20100715011232/http://www.artscouncil.ie/Publications/aosdana_annualreport_2003.pdf. July 15, 2010 . 5. Anthony Cronin, a founding member of Aosdána, was elected Saoi in March 2003, and conferred with the gold Torc, the symbol of the office of Saoi by President Mary McAleese, in a ceremony at the Arts Council offices on 27 June 2003. .
  20. Web site: University Awards - Honorary Degrees - 05/06. UCD President's Office. UCD. Anthony Cronin was ... founding member of Aosdána, of which he was made a Saoi in 2003.. 29 January 2015. Dublin.
  21. News: Saoi here, Friel has the rite stuff to merit our highest arts honour. Hogan. Louise. 23 February 2006. Irish Independent. 29 January 2015.
  22. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20071120093940/http://www.artscouncil.ie/en/news/news.aspx?page=5&article=77663b06-e4c4-4d70-a9ec-796847cb3cee . Aosdána elects 15 new members including, for the first time, choreographers; Aosdána Announces Patrick Scott as Saoi . 20 November 2007 . 28 March 2007 . Arts Council of Ireland . Dublin . 4 February 2015.
  23. News: Patrick Scott honoured at Aosdána ceremony . 11 July 2007 . RTÉ Ten News . RTÉ . 4 February 2015.
  24. Web site: Aosdána elects 10 new members and announces Camille Souter as Saoi. . 9 May 2008. Arts Council of Ireland . At today's General Assembly it was also announced that painter Camille Souter had been elected as Saoi. The honour of Saoi is for singular and sustained distinction in the arts: not more than seven artists may hold this honour at any one time. . 5 February 2015.
  25. Web site: Seóirse Bodley Elected Saoi of Aosdána. 22 September 2008. What's New. Contemporary Music Centre. 5 February 2015. Ireland.
  26. Web site: President of Ireland Mary McAleese honours artists Camille Souter and Seóirse Bodley. 24 November 2008. Arts Council of Ireland. President of Ireland Mary McAleese ... presented both Camille and Seóirse with the symbol of the office, a gold Torc.. 5 February 2015.
  27. News: William Trevor elected to position of Saoi by Aosdána to honour outstanding achievements. 29 September 2014. RTÉ.ie. 29 January 2015.
  28. Web site: William Trevor. Current Members. Aosdána. 4 February 2015 . A conferring ceremony, at which the President of Ireland will present William Trevor with a torc, the symbol of Aosdána, will be announced in the coming months..
  29. News: Duncan . Pamela . Imogen Stuart, Edna O'Brien and William Trevor elected Saoithe . Irish Times . 16 September 2015 . 26 March 2024.
  30. News: Film-maker George Morrison bestowed title of Saoi of Aosdána. 10 March 2017. The Irish Times. 10 March 2017.
  31. Web site: George Morrison. Current Members. Aosdana. 10 March 2017.
  32. Web site: President Higgins honours playwright Tom Murphy . RTE . 4 Sep 2017 . 6 September 2017.
  33. Web site: Composer Roger Doyle elevated to Saoi by Aosdána. Irish Times. 16 Aug 2019 . 4 December 2019.

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