Rugby player Brian O'Driscoll is to be awarded the Freedom of Dublin City. It comes after he retired from international rugby last Saturday when Ireland beat France to win the Six Nations.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisin Quinn will confer him with the Honorary Freedom of Dublin at a ceremony in the Mansion House on Saturday. The social activist Fr. Peter McVerry - who works with the homeless - will also get the award.

The award acknowledges the contribution of people to the life of the capital.

While Dublin City Council notes that there are no financial or other benefits, it does carry "significant prestige, as well as some interesting symbolic privileges and duties".

Recipients of this award are referred to as a 'Freeman' or 'Freewoman' of Dublin, and they are also classed as honorary citizens.

To date, just 76 people have been given the Freedom of the City.

Some recipients have not been available to receive their awards at the date they were conferred. For example, Nelson Mandela was a prisoner in South Africa in 1988 when he was made a Freeman of the city. However he did subsequently receive his award in 1990.

Another recipient, Aung San Suu Kyi, was under house arrest at the time of her being awarded - and she received her award on June 18th last year.

The award gives the recipient the right to bring goods into Dublin through the city gates, without paying customs duties.

It also allows them to pasture sheep on common ground within the city. This includes modern-day College Green and St. Stephen's Green.

And this right was actually exercised by Bono of U2 back in 2000.

While each Freeperson has to be ready to defend the city from attack, and can be called on to join a city militia at short notice.