Fermanagh native Dara McAnulty was the youngest recipient in the first New Year’s Honour List awarded by King Charles III.

Dara, who is a multi-award winning author and environmental campaigner, received a BEM for services to nature and the autistic community.

The Queen’s College, Cambridge student took to Twitter following the announcement to say: “I believe the recognition encourages other young people that their voices are worthy and will be heard.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has already extended their congratulations. I’m so chuffed.

“Thank you everyone for the incredible support I’ve been shown over the years. I couldn’t do it without the encouragement and positivity I receive from so many.”

The 18-year-old has won the 2020 Wainwright Prize for his debut book, ‘Diary of a Young Naturalist’, and became the youngest ever writer to be longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize back in 2020.

Dara has won The Booksellers Association Books Are My Bag Readers Award for Non-fiction, the An Post Irish Book Awards Newcomer of the Year, and his last award was the British Book Awards Narrative Non-fiction Book of the Year.

He is a passionate and fervent campaigner for the natural world and a dedicated fundraiser, volunteer and wildlife recorder. He lives with his family and Rosie, a rescue greyhound, at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Co. Down.

Dara also posted on Twitter: “What a year 2022 has been! Time to move into a new and brighter 2023! Let’s keep fighting for equity, peace, social and environmental justice! Let’s love the world and each other. Let compassion and kindness win over hate and despair.”

Following the announcement of his BEM, Dara appeared on BBC Breakfast with the oldest recipient in the New Year’s Honours List, 100-year-old Peter Davies.