President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, Irish Historian, Margaret Mac Curtain, The Dubliners’ John Sheahan and Dr Liisa Kauppinen are conferred with Honorary Degrees
Posted on: 28 June 2013
President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, Irish Historian, Margaret Mac Curtain, The Dubliners’ John Sheahan and the former CEO of the Finnish Association of the Deaf, Dr Liisa Kauppinen were conferred with Honorary Degrees at Trinity College Dublin on Friday, June 28th.
President Michael D Higgins who was elected as Ireland’s ninth President in 2011was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D). A passionate political voice, a poet and writer, academic and statesman, human rights advocate and champion of the arts within Irish society, he has served at almost every level of public life, including as Ireland’s first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Throughout his life, Michael D Higgins has campaigned for human rights and for the promotion of peace and democracy in Ireland and many parts of the world. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to education throughout the course of his career and is focusing his presidency on youth and education while promoting Ireland abroad and reconnecting with the Irish diaspora. He was elected an honorary fellow of the College in 2012.
Dr Margaret Mac Curtain, Dr Liisa Kauppinen, President Michael D Higgins, TCD Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, John Sheahan, Chancellor of the University, Mary Robinson.
The Dominican sister, Margaret Mac Curtain, a distinguished Irish historian, human rights advocate, feminist, social activist and writer was conferred with a Doctor in Letters (Litt.D). She has made a major contribution to social issues since the 1960s, including spearheading the publishing of women’s history in Ireland in the 1960s. Though retired from academia, she remains at age 83 an inspiring figure demonstrating an extraordinary ability to tackle controversial and difficult issues in a caring and compassionate manner. Sister Margaret was a recipient of the Women’s International Center Living Legacy Award in 1997, joining a distinguished group of recipients including Mayo Angelou, Jehan Sadat and Mother Teresa
The distinguished musician, composer and poet John Sheahan was conferred with a Doctor in Music (Mus.D). He has been a member of The Dubliners for 48 years and is the only surviving member from the early days. His best known composition is “The Marino Waltz”. Many of his works have been recorded and performed by both classical and traditional artists. Over the years, he has been in demand as a studio musician, and has contributed to the recordings of such artists as Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Terence Trent D’Arby, and The André Rieu Orchestra. The musicology of John Sheahan and The Dubliners is legendary and their contribution to Irish folk music has been immense. President Michael D Higgins has described The Dubliners as ambassadors for Ireland and, through their recordings and performances across the world, they have generated enormous recognition for Irish musical heritage and affection for the city of Dublin.
Dr Liisa Kauppinen who was CEO of the Finnish Association of the Deaf for 30 years, General Secretary and President of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D). She also served as the permanent WFD representative to the United Nations for 20 years and continues to serve as an expert for the General Secretariat of the WFD. She has been a major inspiration to deaf communities internationally, and an articulate and intelligent ‘voice’ on the need to explicitly state the human rights of deaf people at national, European and global level, all the while decrying the lack of opportunities for education and training, the under-employment of deaf people, and the lack of recognition of signed languages as ‘real’ languages. She has supported the development of deaf self-advocacy in Ireland and was a key supporter of the move to establish a Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College in 2001.
Bronnadh Céimeanna Onóracha ar Uachtarán na hÉireann, Micheál D. Ó hUigínn, ar an Staraí, Margaret Mac Curtin agus ar John Sheahan ó na Dubliners
Bronnadh céimeanna onóracha ar Uachtarán na hÉireann, Micheál D. Ó hUigínn, ar an Staraí, Margaret Mac Curtin, ar John Sheahan ó na Dubliners agus ar iar-Phríomhfheidhmeannach Chumann na mBodhar san Fhionlainn, an Dr Liisa Kauppinen i gColáiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, Dé hAoine an 28 Meitheamh.
Bronnadh céim Dochtúireachta sa Dlí (LL.D) ar Mhicheál D. Ó hUigínn a toghadh ina Uachtarán na hÉireann sa bhliain 2011. Fear polaitíochta croíúil, file agus scríbhneoir, fear léinn agus státaireachta, fear chur chun cinn chearta an duine agus chás na healaíne i saol na hÉireann, tá fónamh déanta aige ar beagnach gach leibhéal de phobal na hÉireann agus ba é an chéad Aire Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta é. Tá Micheál D. Ó hUigínn ar feadh a shaoil i mbun feachtasaíochta ar mhaithe le cearta daonna agus cur chun cinn an tsíocháin agus an daonlathais in Éirinn agus i bpáirteanna iomadúla den domhan. Léirigh sé dúthracht agus díocas i leith an oideachais ar feadh a shaol oibre agus tá béim á leagan aige le linn na huachtaránachta ar an óige agus ar chúrsaí oideachais chomh maith le hÉirinn a chur chun cinn thar lear agus an ceangal a chothú leis na Gaeil i gcéin. Toghadh ina chomhalta onórach sa Choláiste é sa bhliain 2012.
Bronnadh céim Dochtúireachta sa Litríocht (Litt. D) ar an mbean rialta d’Ord na Doiminiceach, Margaret Mac Curtain, staraí iomráiteach, bean aighneachta agus feachtais maidir le cearta an duine, cearta na mban agus cúrsaí sóisialta agus bean pinn. Tá cion thar na bearta déanta aici maidir le ceisteanna sóisialta in Éirinn ó na 1960idí i leith, obair cheannródaíochta ó thús na linne sin maidir le foilseacháin faoi stair na mban in Éirinn san áireamh. Cé go bhfuil sí imithe amach ar pinsean ó shaol an léinn, is ábhar spreagtha i gcónaí í, in aois 83 bliana di, agus léiríonn sí cumas seachas mar a bheadh ag mórán dul i ngleic le ceisteanna casta anróiteacha ar bhealach lách cineálta. Bhronn Ionad Idirnáisiúnta na mBan Living Legacy Award ar an tSiúr Margaret sa bhliain 1997, a fhágann daoine cáiliúla de leithéid Maya Angelou, Jehan Sadat agus Mother Teresa ar aon chomhluadar léi.
Bronnadh céim Dochtúireachta sa Cheol (Mus.D) ar John Sheahan, ceoltóir, cumadóir agus file iomráiteach. Tá sé le 48 bliain ar dhuine de na Dubliners agus is é an duine deireanach é a mhaireann díobh sin a bhí leis an ngrúpa ó na blianta tosaigh. “The Marino Waltz” an saothar ceoil is cáiliúla dá chuid. Seinneann ceoltóirí clasaiceacha agus traidisiúnta araon cuid mhór dá chuid saothar chomh maith le taifeadadh a dhéanamh orthu. Bíonn éileamh air mar cheoltóir sa stiúideo agus le blianta anuas tá sé le cloisteáil ar thaifeadtaí le Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Terence Trent D’Arby, The André Rieu Orchestra agus eile. Tá clú agus cáil ar cheoleolaíocht John Sheahan agus na Dubliners agus is mór atá déanta acu maidir le ceol mhuintir na hÉireann. Tá ráite ag an Uachtarán Micheál D. Ó hUigínn gur ambasadóirí ar son na hÉireann iad na Dubliners agus, tá aird agus meas faoi leith tarraingthe acu, trína gcuid taifeadtaí agus a gcuid ceolchoirmeacha ar oidhreacht ceoil na hÉireann agus ar chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Bronnadh céim Dochtúireachta sa Dlí (LL.D) ar an Dr Liisa Kauppinen a bhí ina Príomhfheidhmeannach ar Chumann na mBodhar san Fhionlainn ar feadh 30 bliain agus ina Rúnaí Ginearálta agus ina hUachtarán ar Chónaidhm Dhomhanda na mBodhar (WFD). Rinne sí fónamh freisin ar feadh 20 bliain ina hionadaí buan ag WFD leis na Náisiúin Aontaithe agus tá sí ag leanúint den fhónamh mar shaineolaí ag Rúnaíocht Ghinearálta WFD. Is mór an spreagadh atá tugtha aici do phobail na mbodhar i dtíortha éagsúla agus is deisbhéalach éirimiúil an t-urlabhraí í le fada faoin ngá atá le cearta daonna na mbodhar a lua go sonrach ar leibhéal náisiúnta, ar leibhéal na hEorpa agus ar leibhéal an domhain an tráth céanna ar tharraing sí aird ar easpa deiseanna oideachais agus oiliúna do na bodhair, easpa fostaíochta do na bodhair agus easpa aitheantais mar theangacha ‘dáiríre’ do theangacha comharthaíochta. Chuidigh sí le haighneacht na mbodhar ar a son féin a thabhairt chun cinn in Éirinn agus bhí baint ríthábhachtach aici leis an obair chun Lárionad Léann na mBodhar a bhunú i gColáiste na Tríonóide sa bhliain 2001.