She’s the 94-year-old Irish screen icon, who has finally been awarded an Oscar in recognition of her distinguished career.

Liam Neeson and Clint Eastwood were on hand to award the honorary Oscar to Irish screen legend Maureen O’Hara in Hollywood on Saturday.

O’Hara sang “Danny Boy” and thanked the three men who helped make her career: actors Charles Laughton, John Wayne and director John Ford, the director of The Quiet Man.

It was a fitting honor for a lady who charmed tough guys like Wayne who once remarked "She's a great guy. I've had many friends, and I prefer the company of men. Except for Maureen O'Hara."

Both Neeson and Eastwood each confessed to having a crush on the Irish beauty. Neeson described her as "one of the true legends of cinema" and "one of the most adventurous women who ever lived," noting  the actress did her own stunts on screen.

When Neeson handed her the Oscar, O’Hara asked in disbelief, "What's this?!"

"I only hope it's silver or gold and not like a spoon out of the kitchen," she said.

But Maureen O'Hara insists she's ready to play a leading lady one more time - should the right script come along.

The Dublin-born actress’s last film credit was 12 years ago but speaking before the event, her spokesman Johnny Nicoletti said his famous client hasn't called time on her glittering film career yet.

He said:  "Every actor who says they wouldn't consider another role is waiting for one more special role to come along, and that's the case with Maureen.

"She may say that she's not interested, but she doesn't really mean it."

Nicoletti also said that receiving an Oscar marked a lifelong dream for Ms. O'Hara, who starred in the first of her 64 movies in 1939, but who up to now had consistently been overlooked by Academy Awards chiefs.

He said her recognition at the prestigious Governors' Awards would mark the pinnacle of her incredible 75-year career, which includes starring roles in movies like The Quiet Man, How Green Was My Valley and Miracle On 34th Street.

And he confirmed that his famous client will grace the red carpet one final time as a VIP guest at next year's Oscars ceremony, where clips of her famous film roles, as well as footage of her receiving her coveted award yesterday (Sat), will be screened.

Speaking before yesterday's ceremony, he continued:  "Maureen is very excited and she feels particularly honoured and flattered, because she sees this as recognition of her achievement by her peers.

"It's going to be a big event, with a large banquet and there'll be a lot of industry players there.

"I know Maureen has prepared a speech and she knows what she's going to say, but she's keeping the contents of her acceptance speech close to her chest."

He said the screen icon, who moved from Glengarriff, Co. Cork to Idaho in the US two years ago, has already cleared the mantlepiece in her home to make room for her long-coveted Oscar.

He said:"One of her main concerns is that her great-grandchildren don't get their hands on it and knock it over."

He added:"This is the first even of the awards season, but Maureen has also been invited to the Academy Awards next year, where she will be given a prominent seat as an honorary Oscar winner.  She will be acknowledged then too with footage from her past movies and the Governors' Awards."

Honorary Oscars were also due to be awarded to French screen-writer and actor Jean-Claude Carriere, 82, and Japanese film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki, 73.

Harry Belafonte, the 87-year-old American actor, singer and social activist, was also due to be presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award.

The Governors' Awards were first introduced in 2009, when they separated from the official Oscar ceremony for the first time.

Late screen legend Lauren Bacall was a recipient at the inaugural ceremony.  

Other recipients since have included Francis Ford Coppola, Eli Wallach, James Earl Jones and Jean-Luc Goddard.