President of the Republic of Ireland, Eamon De Valera, was granted the freedom of the City of Cork in a ceremony at the City Hall on Saturday (31 March). President De Valera retires this summer after fourteen years in office. Aged ninety, he is the world's oldest head of state.

In Saturday's ceremony, President De Valera, was presented with a scroll to commemorate the occasion by cork's Lord Mayor, Sean O'Leary. Born in New York, President De Valera was taken to ireland as a young child. In 1913, he joined the revolutionary movement fighting for Irish independence and became one of the leaders of the struggle against Britain. After independence, De Valera led the opposition in Parliament and later headed the Government. He was elected president in 1959.

SYNOPSIS: At Cork City Hall in the Republic of Ireland, President Eamon Da Valera was granted the freedom of the city in a ceremony on Saturday. President De Valera is ninety-years-old and retires this summer after fourteen-years in office.

Saturday's ceremony was presided over by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Sean O'Leary. The freedom of the city is now an almost entirely honourary gesture but is the highest mark of respect a city can bestow on an individual. President De Valera's coming retirement marks the and of a political career which spans more than fifty years.

Among the guests was Mr. Jack Lync??? standing on the right, who lost his post as Prime Minister in the recent Parliamentary elections. With Mr. De Valera leaving the presidency, another election is to be held in the Republic before the end of the year.