It was a week of celebrations and family pride as University of Galway welcomed more than 1,800 graduates, along with their relatives and friends, back to campus for Autumn Conferring ceremonies.

It also saw a number of luminaries presented with Honorary Degrees, including Gerry Kilcommins, former Vice President Global Operations at Medtronic, who is a Doctor of Engineering; Danny McCoy, chief executive officer of Ibec, becoming Doctor of Economic Science; Mary Bennett, former owner of the Treasure Chest, a Doctor of Economic Science; John Davoren, co-director of Caherconnell Archaeology Field School, a Doctor of Science, as is Professor Jerome Sheahan, retired statistician/mathematician at University of Galway.

In receiving the award and addressing the graduates of 2024, Danny McCoy said he was very honoured to receive this doctorate from his Alma Mater, which he described as ‘a great university that lives up to one of its stated purposes: the nurturing of global citizens’.

“Today’s graduating class is entering a world of work that is challenging, no doubt, with the twin challenges of digitalization and decarbonization, the disembodiment of activity in a virtual world, and the exaggerated decline of the office, limiting opportunities for learning by observation and the creation of personal networks,” he said.

“And yet, the possibilities for fulfilling purposeful careers, with a good work-life balance in a context of tolerance and diversity, have never been greater for any generation.”

University of Galway President Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh described the honorary degrees as ‘an opportunity to recognise people whose values and contributions exemplify why we are here as a university community, as well as our own values and impact, both in and for the world’.

“Universities are more than what we do: we are animated communities, exemplars of our value to society and our values in society,” he added.

A further eleven people are to being awarded Honorary Degrees during Winter Conferring, which take places on campus in November.

These include singer Dolores Keane, jockey Rachael Blackmore, broadcaster Keith Finnegan. journalist Tony Connelly, MADRA founders Marina Fiddler and Tara Nic Dhiarmada, and broadcaster Éanna Ní Lamhna.

Professor Ó hÓgartaigh admitted that these Autumn Conferring ceremonies were especially poignant for him as they are his last as President of University of Galway.

“It has been a great honour to present students with their parchments and to be part of the celebrations of thousands of graduates,” he said.

“It is also a great privilege to be able to celebrate and recognise the achievements of those who we award honorary degrees – in total during 2024 there will be 16 such awards.

“On behalf of our University, I want to offer each my heartiest congratulations to all our students, to all those who have graduated and to all those who receive honorary awards. I thank them all for being part of the community of University of Galway and I wish them all the very best for the future, in their careers and their personal lives,” he added.

Pictured: Mary Bennett was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Economic Science from University of Galway. Mary has been a great driving force in Galway and the West of Ireland’s commercial and industrial development since the middle of the 1960’s. Mary has combined her own business life with the tireless engagement in organisations and networks which support other businesses individually and collectively. Mary is pictured with her sisters Patricia, Ann, Ursula and Breege. Photograph: Aengus McMahon.