Mark Hamill, who once memorably posed with a packet of Tayto crisps and then a packet of King to balance things out when he felt he'd upset certain people, will be the first International Guest of Honour at the St Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin.
"And I am delighted to return to the beautiful Emerald Isle to spend St. Patrick's Day with the people of Ireland at the Festival & meet your President! Also a rare opportunity to indulge in a mug of delicious green milk," Mark wrote on Twitter.
Announcing the news, Minister for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon said: “I am delighted that actor Mark Hamill, known in every corner of the globe for his role as Luke Skywalker in the phenomenally successful Star Wars franchise, is to appear in Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day Festival as International Guest of Honour."
He added: “I am especially delighted to learn that he is a distant son of the Irish diaspora, with links to both Kilkenny and Donegal.
“Mark Hamill has played another role too, for which all along the Wild Atlantic Way are deeply grateful, in promoting the now iconic route and Tourism Ireland’s ‘Star Wars campaign’ and films with Mark Hamill praising of Irish hospitality have been seen by some 8m people around the world.
“The fact that an actor of such international renown would lend his name to the most important event in our national calendar is, I believe, both a tribute to the regard in which the Irish are held across the globe and also to how Irish heritage is of innate significance to people.
“It proves too that our national festival is a unifying force for the diaspora across the world, whether they are Irish born or of Irish ancestry.”

And I am delighted to return to the beautiful Emerald Isle to spend St. Patrick's Day with the people of Ireland at the Festival & meet your President! Also a rare opportunity to indulge in a mug of delicious green milk. ??☘️ https://t.co/aePeuiQgDd

— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 12, 2018