Ed Sheeran salutes his Irish heritage at Freedom of the City of London awards

Ed Sheeran has numerous awards in his trophy case, but on Sunday he was awarded one of the most meaningful honors.

Ed was granted the Freedom of the City of London — which has been given out since the 1200s! The ceremonial honor is given to those with strong ties to the city.

Ed was selected for the award because he’s a patron of the London Irish Centre, which serves as a resource for the city’s Irish population. The center provides services such as advice sessions, concerts, information, classes and more.

“I think everybody knows how much I love London and how much it’s been a part of my musical journey, so to receive the Freedom of the City today is something truly special,” the singer remarked when picking up the honor.

He noted the other recipients of the honor when declaring, “Given my family’s Irish heritage, to receive the award from London’s first Irish Lord Mayor, Vincent Keaveny, and alongside London Irish Centre friends, is a bonus.”

The other recipients were Gary Dunne and Maeve Heath, the center’s creative director and longest-serving volunteer, respectively.