This policy is designed to facilitate the award of an honorary degree by the University to an individual in recognition of their exceptional and outstanding contribution to an endeavour, and to a candidate who is an exemplar of the values and ethos of SETU. This policy establishes the framework to ensure such awards must reflect an exceptional achievement or set of achievements that has shaped society through the arts and sciences, culture (including literature, music, and visual arts), advocacy, social activity, sport, business or other contributions.
Recipients
Carrie Crowley has made a major contribution to Irish cultural life through her career on radio and television and as an actor. She began her broadcasting career as a presenter on WLR FM in her native Waterford and quickly became a recognisable voice on Irish airways due to her natural charisma and affinity with the audience. Her radio career paved the way for her transition to television, where she became a household name.
A fluent Irish speaker and former primary school teacher, she moved to Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE) in 1996, to work in children’s programming, acting in the pre-school series The Morbegs as the character Liodáin and co-presenting the Irish language version of Echo Island. She co-presented the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997 with Ronan Keating, and also presented a number of other programmes on television, notably TurasAnama, Potluck, Pulse and her own chat show Limelight. She later returned to radio with the weekly interview programme Snapshots which ran for five years on RTE Radio 1.
As an actor, Carrie Crowley began her professional career with the Red Kettle Company in Waterford and went on to enjoy a successful career on stage and television, and in film. Her ability to immerse herself in diverse roles and bring authenticity to her characters is key to her success as an actor and a testament to her talent and dedication to her craft. Her roles in television dramas, including Smother, Fair City, Ros na Rún, Vikings, The Running Mate and Rásaí na Gaillimhe, to mention just a few, gained international recognition for the multitalented actor. Her impressive acting portfolio also includes Irish and international film such as Earthbound (2012), Stay (2013), and Baltimore (2023). In parallel with her work on television and film, she continues to perform on stage and made a return to the Theatre Royal Waterford in 2021 to play in Beckett’s Footfalls.
Carrie Crowley’s love of, and fluency in, the Irish language has ensured that Irish-language broadcasting and acting have been a seminal part of her career; from her early days presenting Irish language children’s television to starring in Irish-language short films, such as An Gaeilgeoir Nocht (2006), to her role as Eibhlín Cinnsealach in An Cailín Ciúin (2022), a role for which she received an Irish Film and Television Academy Best Actress nomination. As the first Irish-language film to be nominated for an Oscar, An Cailín Ciúin brought justifiable pride to Ireland and to its native language, and Carrie Crowley was central to this achievement.
Carrie Crowley is an outstanding Irish broadcaster and actor whose unique talent and versatility has earned her an international reputation. The award of Doctor of the University acknowledges her contribution to Irish cultural life through her work as a broadcaster and actor, as a fervent advocate of the Irish language and, most recently, in her role in the Oscar-nominated film An Cailín Ciúin.
Professor de Paor, a distinguished engineer, an Irish scholar and a humanitarian, is an exemplar of excellence in multiple academic and cultural domains. In the field of engineering, he is arguably the most highly accomplished electrical engineer in Ireland of his generation, and one of the few with an international reputation for advanced research. An electrical engineering graduate from University College Dublin, Professor de Paor went on to obtain a masters degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate from the National University of Ireland (through UCD). He was subsequently awarded a Senior Doctorate by the National University of Ireland in 1987 and an Honorary Doctorate by the then Dublin Institute of Technology in 2004. He lectured in both the University of Salford and University College Dublin, culminating in his appointment as Chair of Electrical Engineering at University College Dublin in 1978.
Professor de Paor is a renowned expert in control theory and has applied ideas from this field to develop new research activities in biomedical engineering and renewable energy. His research and teaching have played a significant role in advancing Ireland's capabilities in these critical areas. His contributions include the seminal textbook Introduction to Dynamics and Control (1978), over 200 research papers, founding the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in 1986 and co-founding the Centre for Disability at University College Dublin a decade later.
Professor de Paor is a passionate supporter of the Irish language, culture and heritage. He is a dedicated advocate for Gaeltacht na nDéise and was elected Chair of Daonscoil na Mumhan in 2006. An Irish speaker and scholar, he has published books in the Irish language with Coiscéim Publications, including: Buan ar Buairt (1985); Dubcek faoi Cháil is faoi Scáil (1997); Beirt Mháirnéalach (2003); and Duanaire Daonscoile (2014)
Professor de Paor was born and reared in Waterford and his career serves as an inspiring example of an individual excelling in diverse fields, bridging the worlds of engineering and cultural preservation. The award of an honorary doctorate to him is a recognition of a career of the highest distinction in academia and engineering, and of a rare cross-disciplinary intellectual energy which has contributed beyond his engineering expertise.
A native of Bagenalstown, county Carlow, he was educated at Rockwell College, University College Dublin, and the University of Strathclyde. Dr Manning lectured in politics at University College Dublin, where he became Adjunct Professor in Political Science and International Relations. A great many of his students, influenced by his strong sense of public service and his constitutional values, have gone on to distinguished positions in public life. He has published widely, particularly in the area of modern Irish constitutional politics; his publications include James Dillon: A Biography (2000), and The Blueshirts (1973 and 2006).
Dr Manning was elected as a member of the Senate of the National University of Ireland for 27 years and he served on the Governing Authority of University College Dublin for 29 years. In 2009, he had the distinction of being elected Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, only the fifth person to hold the position since its establishment in 1908. Dr Manning was an elected public representative for 21 years, serving in both Dáil and Seanad Éireann. During that time, he was appointed both Leader of Seanad Éireann (1995-1997) and Leader of the Opposition in the Seanad (1997-2002). Throughout his political career, he was an advocate for higher education, Irish language and culture.
Dr Manning was nominated by the then Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald to be a member of the New Ireland Forum which was established in 1983 to identify new constitutional options for Northern Ireland. He also served for many years as a member of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body. In 2002, Dr Manning was appointed as the President of the Irish Human Rights Commission, a position which he held until 2014. In 2006, he became Chair of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions, serving two successive terms in this role. Currently, he is Chair of the Expert Advisory Group on the Decade of Centenaries, the programme of events and commemorations marking the achievement of independence and the foundation of the Irish state.
Dr Manning has had a distinguished career in both the academic and political worlds, always bringing his unique skills to bear in advancing mutual understanding between both. As a scholar, politician, statesman and advocate, his influence extends far beyond his political and literary achievements, and his dedication to the principles of justice, equality and cultural preservation has helped shape Irish society. The award of Doctor of the University to him is a recognition of his achievements in, and lifelong contribution to, education, politics, human rights and scholarship.
Daniel Mulhall is a diplomat, an author and a scholar who has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the Irish Diplomatic Service.
A native of Waterford, and a graduate of University College Cork, Daniel Mulhall joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1978 and subsequently held diplomatic positions in New Delhi, Vienna, Brussels and Edinburgh. He served as the Irish Ambassador to Malaysia (2001-05), Germany (2009-13), Great Britain (2013-17), and the United States of America (2017-22). In addition, Daniel Mulhall held an array of senior positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs, including Director General for European Affairs (2005-09). He was also a member of the Secretariat of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation (1994-95) and the Irish Government delegation which negotiated the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Daniel Mulhall has a lifelong passion for Irish history and literature, and a deep commitment to education. He is a scholar, and lecturer who has published numerous books, book chapters and articles on Irish history and literature, and international relations. He is the author of A New Day Dawning: A Portrait of Ireland in 1900 (1999), Ulysses: A Reader's Odyssey (2022), and Pilgrim Soul: W.B. Yeats and the Ireland of his Time (2023) and co-editor of The Shaping of Modern Ireland: A Centenary Assessment (2016). As a writer and an intellectual, he has embraced public diplomacy and uses social media, blog posts and podcasts to disseminate insights into his diplomatic work and to promote Irish culture, history, and literature. On his retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2022, he was appointed as a Global Distinguished Professor of Irish Studies at Glucksman Ireland House, New York University and Parnell Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 2023, he was appointed Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School.
Daniel Mulhall's diplomatic career is marked by his unwavering commitment to, and his exceptional ability in, navigating complex issues, maintaining positive bilateral relations, promoting Ireland’s interests internationally, and fostering international cooperation and reconciliation. His legacy, however, extends far beyond his achievements in political diplomacy; he is a cultural ambassador who has shared the richness of Irish literature, culture and arts with an international audience. His extensive scholarship and experience across literature, history, and politics has contextualised the understanding of the world through a multidisciplinary lens.
The award of Doctor of the University to Daniel Mulhall is a recognition of his exceptional ability, his career at the forefront of Irish and international politics, and his outstanding contribution to Irish culture through his scholarship and advocacy. His career serves as an exemplar of the power of diplomacy in bringing nations closer together and in celebrating their shared values and heritage.
A native of Kill, Co. Waterford, the late Peter Queally was one of Ireland’s top entrepreneurs and businesspeople. His journey from a small farm in rural Waterford to leading a major agri-food conglomerate is a testament to his vision, hard work, business skill and his ability to identify and capitalise on opportunities.
A serial entrepreneur, risk taker and investor, his early business interests, in conjunction with his brother John, were in quarrying, farming, construction and cold storage. He co-founded Dawn Meats in 1980, and building on the success of that company, John and he established the Queally Group, a locally-led, international-group of brands in the agri-food industry, that has grown to become one of the largest privately-owned, agri-business groups in Europe with a multi-billion-euro annual revenue, thousands of employees across multiple countries and a global market presence.
The group, under Peter Queally’s stewardship, has contributed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the South East and has provided a regional growth platform in an industry that is central to the region. The global company has its headquarters in Waterford and contributes significantly to employment and the economy in the region. Innovation in its product provision is a hallmark of the Queally Group, making it one of the most pioneering companies in its sector in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Innovation is not confined to product development, however, as Peter Queally’s creativity in marketing, sales and identifying business opportunities has built the company to the global entity it is today. The company has continually expanded its operations, both domestically and internationally, which speaks to his strategic thinking and ability to navigate complex markets.
He was also noted for his discrete philanthropic support of charities, and community and sporting organisations. He was Director and benefactor of Tramore Racecourse for 25 years, and he was instrumental in ensuring the track’s survival in challenging times.
Peter Queally’s contribution to developing and growing a business to the level and scale that the Queally Group has attained is exceptional, even more remarkable considering that it is a private company. His legacy in the agri-food industry is marked by his entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to innovation, and dedication to sustainability. His business acumen demonstrates a successful blend of strategic vision, risk taking, innovation, and leadership which have not only driven the growth of his companies but also had a positive impact on the broader agri-food industry. Indeed, he was recognised as a seminal figure in shaping the landscape of food production in Ireland and beyond.
The award of Doctor of the University was conferred in abstentia to Peter Queally in 2024 and is a recognition of his entrepreneurship and achievement in scaling a local business to a global force and his significant contribution to the community and economy in the South East.