Saoi (Irish pronunciation:[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][3] 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[4] 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.
^ ab"Aosdána elects 10 new members and announces Camille Souter as Saoi". Arts Council of Ireland. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2015. 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.
^Arts Council of Ireland. "Aosdána"(PDF). Annual Report 1984. p. 11. ISBN0906627079. ISSN0790-1593. 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.
^Lendennie, Jessie; Hickson, Paddy (1991). The Salmon Guide to Creative Writing in Ireland. Salmon Pub. p. 28. ISBN9780948339660.
^Arts Council of Ireland (1988). "Aosdána"(PDF). Annual Report 1986. p. 10. ISBN0906627176. ISSN0790-1593. 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.
^Arts Council of Ireland. "Aosdána"(PDF). Annual Report 1987. p. 12. ISBN0906627230. ISSN0790-1593. 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.
^"Lot 163: "Mountain Lake"". "Important Irish Art": 8 December 2004. Dublin: Adam's auctioneers. Retrieved 29 January 2015. Patrick Collins ... was also a member of Aosdana and was elected Saoi in 1987.
^ abcArts Council of Ireland. "Aosdána"(PDF). Annual Report 1993. p. 13. ISBN0906627559. ISSN0790-1593. Three new Saoi, Mary Lavin, Louis le Brocquy and Tony O'Malley, were elected by the membership
^Briggs, Sarah (1996). "Mary Lavin: Questions of identity". Irish Studies Review. 4 (15): 10–15. doi:10.1080/09670889608455532. ISSN0967-0882. She was elected 'Saoi' by Aosdana, in 1992, for her outstanding achievement in literature.
^ abArts Council of Ireland. "Aosdána Report"(PDF). Annual Report 1996. p. 18. ISSN0790-1593. 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.
^"Benedict Kiely". Former Members. Aosdána. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
^"Francis Stuart". Former Members. Aosdána. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
^Arts Council of Ireland. "Aosdána Report"(PDF). Annual Report 1998. p. 9. ISSN0790-1593. In 1998, a General Assembly and a Pre-Assembly meeting were held, poet Seamus Heaney was elected to the position of Saoi
^Aosdána. "Annual Report 2003"(PDF). p. 5. ISSN0790-1593. Archived from the original(PDF) on July 15, 2010. 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.
^"University Awards - Honorary Degrees - 05/06". UCD President's Office. Dublin: UCD. Retrieved 29 January 2015. Anthony Cronin was ... founding member of Aosdána, of which he was made a Saoi in 2003.
^"William Trevor". Current Members. Aosdána. Retrieved 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.