Trinity Today honorary degrees
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President michael D. higgins
Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast and President Michael D. Higgins
June 2013
President Michael D. Higgins, elected as Ireland’s ninth President in 2011, was conferred with a Doctor in Laws. A passionate political voice, writer, 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. He is focusing his presidency on youth and education while also promoting Ireland abroad and reconnecting with the Irish diaspora. He was elected an honorary fellow of the College in 2012.
Honouring the president
Dr Liisa Kauppinen Dr Liisa Kauppinen, who was CEO of the Finnish Association of the Deaf for 30 years and General Secretary and President of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), was conferred with a Doctor in Laws. 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. She has criticised 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 selfadvocacy in Ireland and was a key supporter of the move to establish a Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College in 2001.
Sister Margaret MacCurtain The Dominican sister Margaret MacCurtain, a distinguished Irish historian, human rights advocate, feminist, social activist and writer was conferred with a Doctor in Letters. 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.
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Back row: Dr Margaret MacCurtain, Chancellor, Mary Robinson, and John Sheahan. Front row: Dr Liisa Kauppinen, President Michael D. Higgins and Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast
john Sheahan The distinguished musician, composer and poet John Sheahan was conferred with a Doctor in Music. 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 many artists including Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Terence Trent D’Arby and The André Rieu Orchestra. The contribution of John Sheahan and The Dubliners 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 Dublin city.l
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