Carroll, Donlon, Leonard and Tierney Receive University of Limerick Honorary Doctorates

published on Jan 21st, 2009

Daniel Tierney, author of the 1995 Tierney Report, Sean Donlon, former Secretary-General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive of Anglo American plc the second largest mining company in the world and Denis Leonard, Director of Limerick Civic Trust, who were today conferred with Honorary Doctorates at the University of Limerick.

"Each of the four people being honoured today have, in their own distinctive ways, made enormous contributions to public life, in Ireland and abroad. The University of Limerick takes great pride in their achievements," Professor Don Barry, President of the University of Limerick, commented at today's ceremony.

Although the careers of each of these exceptional people have brought them all over the world they all have a strong connection to Limerick City. Cynthia Carroll the former Managing Director of Aughinish Alumina in Limerick was named as one of the 50 Women to Watch by the Wall Street Journal in 2006 and Forbes Magazine rated her the seventh most powerful woman in the world in 2007. Her appointment as a governor of the University of Limerick (from December 1997 to September 1998) enriched the University with the entrepreneurial talents of a world class industrialist.

During his distinguished political career former UL Chancellor Sean Donlon, spent 24 years in the Department of Foreign Affairs, he became Irish Ambassador to the United States and then went on to lead the Department of Foreign Affairs as Secretary-General and Head of the Irish Diplomatic Service. In 2002, Mr Donlon was elected Chair of the Governing Authority and Chancellor of the University of Limerick, posts that he held until November 2007.

Limerick Civic Trust has enriched Limerick City and visitors to Limerick for more than 25 years and Mr Denis Leonard is largely responsible for the tremendous success of this organisation. In 1985 the Trust appointed Denis, a founder member and the first chairman, to be the full time Director of the Trust. Denis's work has previously been recognised by the Knights of the Round Table who appointed him an honorary member and their ambassador in Limerick.

Daniel Tierney, a native of Limerick City was instrumental in paving the way for much of the technology transfer and education/industry linkages that now inform the fabric of our Higher Education sector through the Tierney Report of 1995. In his busy career Dan Tierney has constantly returned to the issue of how to bridge research and business practice which echoes closely the core ethos of the University of Limerick to work in partnership with industry.