The London 2012 chairman was the first person in Britain to be presented with the framed certificate during what was Higgins' first official visit to London since he was elected last Novemher. 

The Certificate confirms Coe's Irish ancestry through his maternal great-grandfather Edwin Swan - who was born in Ballyragget in Co Kilkenny, a highly-regarded painter who later produced many of the Great Western Railway's most iconic advertisements of the 1920s and 1930s.

"The Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage...if we had discovered this before 1980 our store of gold medals would have been different," said Higgins, a reference to the two Olympic 1500 metres gold medals that Coe won at Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles 1984.

"But even at this late stage we congratulate you on bringing the Olympics [to London] and more importantly to you and your colleagues for delivering such a wonderful project, but also to thank you for being proud of your heritage and Ballyragget."


Coe, who also has Indian and Jamaican heritage, claimed he was honoured to receive the award.

"I am delighted to accept the certificate and will long cherish it," he said.

Coe also received praise from Patrick Hickey, the President of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and a close ally.

The two have worked together to ensure that the Olympic Torch will visit the Irish capital on June 6.

"You can thank that man [Coe] for the fact that the Olympic Torch is coming to Ireland for a day," Hickey told the President.

"Without him this would never have happened."

Coe recalled Hickey's reaction when he told him that he was to be honoured by the Irish President for Irish heritage.

"I will long cherish the expletive that came from Pat's mouth when I told him," he said.

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