Two leading academics, Michael Coey and John Dillon, were presented with inaugural Royal Irish Academy gold medals by President Mary McAleese.
Prof James Slevin, RIA president, said the men were among a small elite in Ireland who set the international hallmark of excellence in their respective fields.
Prof Coey received the gold medal in the physical and mathematical sciences. He is professor of experimental physics, and Science Foundation Ireland research professor at TCD. He is a world-leading expert in magnetism and magnetic materials, and is ranked 309th in a list of 1,100 most-cited physicists in the world.
The gold medal in the humanities was awarded to Prof Dillon, regius professor of Greek at TCD.
He is the leading authority in the world on classical philosophy after Plato. His work represents one of the major contributions to the study of ancient philosophy. He is described as one of the most important classical scholars Ireland has ever produced.