Renowned, multi award-winning Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and BAFTA-nominated actor and nurse Helen Behan have been awarded Honorary Fellowships of the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in recognition of their contribution to societal health and well-being.

The conferring ceremony took place at the opening of the 44th Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference at RCSI, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin.

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at RCSI has a long tradition of recognising individuals who have made a significant impact on healthcare, policy, and society. The Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty is the highest honour that it can bestow on an individual and is reserved for those who are considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the professions of nursing, midwifery or a related field or have significantly contributed to the health and well-being of society.

Brendan Gleeson and Helen Behan now join a distinguished list of past recipients who have demonstrated excellence in their fields while contributing meaningfully to societal health and well-being, including Saint Mother Teresa, President Mary McAleese, Christina Noble and Niall Breslin (‘Bressie’).

Brendan Gleeson was selected for this award in recognition of his many years of advocacy for hospice care in Ireland, and for using his platform as an actor to open conversations around end-of-life care.

Dr Mary Boyd, Dean of the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “We are delighted to present Brendan Gleeson with this Honorary Fellowship from the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. His long-standing support for the hospice movement, particularly his work in raising awareness of the compassionate care provided at the end of life, has made a significant impact on public discourse around palliative care. From his own experiences following the care of his late parents at St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, he has worked to raise awareness of the compassionate, dignified end-of-life care that hospices provide, reflecting the core values of nursing and midwifery – compassion, dignity and respect, and we see his work as being hugely influential in this regard.”

Commenting ahead of the ceremony, Brendan Gleeson said: “This is a wonderful honour to receive. I can’t wait to tell them how much I love them!”

Helen Behan, a practicing nurse and acclaimed actress, was also honoured at the ceremony for her unique contributions to both healthcare and the arts. Originally trained as a nurse, Behan’s acting career began after a chance meeting with director Shane Meadows, leading to standout performances in The Virtues, Malpractice, and Say Nothing. From her first TV role as a nurse to today, Helen has remained deeply connected to nursing, returning to frontline healthcare roles during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Boyd said: “It is an honour to award an Honorary Fellowship to Helen Behan in recognition of her wonderful contribution to both healthcare and the arts. Through compassionate storytelling, Helen has used her platform to highlight the realities of nursing and healthcare. Her dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the unwavering commitment of nurses everywhere. She is an inspiration to our profession, and we are proud to celebrate her achievements."

The RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery hosts its annual international research and education conference every spring. The Conference, which is the oldest nursing and midwifery conference in Europe, has a reputation for the contemporary relevance of its themes and content, the quality of its keynote and concurrent speakers and as both a scholarly and social event within the nursing community.

The theme of year’s conference, taking place from 26-27 February, is ‘Recruiting, Developing, Retaining and Sustaining the Global Nursing and Midwifery Workforce for Future Health and Care Needs’.

At the conference, international experts will address an audience of healthcare professionals, academics and members of the public, including: Professor Daniel Oerther of Missouri University of Science and Technology; Professor James Buchan from University of Technology, Sydney; Dr Elaine Maxwell, London South Bank University; Dr Linda Valentino, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York; and Dr Ruth Riley of the Wellcome Discovery Award.