Internationally Renowned Palaeontologist Derek Briggs and India-based Education Reformer Sister Cyril Mooney are conferred with Honorary Degrees

Posted on: 10 December 2010

The world renowned palaeontologist, Professor Derek Briggs,  the  India-based education reformer, Sister Cyril Mooney and Director of the Irish Society of Autism,  Pat Matthews were  conferred with honorary doctorates at Trinity College Dublin today.

Palaeontologist, Professor Derek Briggs is Director of the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University and was conferred with a Doctor in Science (Sc.D). He is recognised internationally for his research on the preservation and evolutionary significance of exceptionally preserved fossils.  He is the author and editor of a number of books that have become benchmarks in paleontology, including The Fossils of the Burgess Shale and Paleobiology – a Synthesis. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, he had a distinguished career as a palaeontologist with positions in Cambridge, London, Bristol, Chicago and Yale before being appointed to this highly prestigious role in 2008. 

Educational reformer, Sister Cyril Mooney and Head Mistress of Sealdah Loreto Day School in Kolkata, India was conferred with a Doctor in Education (D.Ed).  For more than 50 years she has been an energetic pioneer in the education of girls from the poorest backgrounds and spearheaded a model for mixed education where girls from very different social classes are educated together. Teacher training has been a priority and her model of training women to act as teachers in their local communities has been very influential.  Sr Cyril has also campaigned extensively against the practice of slave child labour and for the support of older women living on the street.  It is estimated that through her work more than 450,000 Indian girls and women got access to education.  In 2007 she was awarded the Padma Shri, the highest civilian award in India.

Provost Dr John Hegarty with Sr Cyril Mooney and Chancellor Dr Mary Robinson

Executive Director of the Irish Society of Autism and Past President of the World Autism Organisation, Pat Matthews was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D).  During a lifetime of commitment to people with autism he has  changed the ways in which people with autism are regarded and treated in society.  He has campaigned most forcefully nationally and internationally for the rights of people with autism and has pioneered a deeper understanding of autism and his work has established an ethos of respect and regard for people with this disability.

Mrs Norah Kelso has recently retired as Alumni Relations Officer in the Trinity Foundation at Trinity College a position she held since 1994.  For more than 25 years she has been the public face of the College towards its Alumni.  Throughout this period she played a pivotal role in the organisation of all major annual alumni events and has acted as Secretary to the TCD Association and Trust.  She has played these roles with great efficiency, good humour, common sense, and dignity.  The College community wishes to acknowledge her long and distinguished service to College and its alumni with the award of an honorary Master in Arts (MA).

Bronnadh Céimeanna Oinigh ar an bPailé-Ointeolaí Derek Briggs a bhfuil cáil idirnáisiúnta air agus ar an Leasaitheoir Oideachais An tSiúir Cyril Mooney atá lonnaithe in India

Bronnadh céimeanna oinigh ar an bPailé-Ointeolaí a bhfuil cáil ar fud an domhain air, An tOllamh Derek Briggs, ar an leasaitheoir oideachais atá lonnaithe in India, An tSiúir Cyril Mooney agus ar Stiúrthóir Chumann Uathachais na hÉireann Pat Matthews i gColáiste na Tríonóide inniu (10 Nollaig).

Tá an Pailé-Ointeolaí, An tOllamh Derek Briggs, ina Stiúrthóir ar an Peabody Museum of Natural History in Ollscoil Yale agus bronnadh Dochtúireacht Eolaíochta (Sc.D) air. Tá sé aitheanta go hidirnáisiúnta mar gheall ar an taighde a rinne sé ar iontaisí a chaomhnú agus ar an tábhacht éabhlóideach a bhaineann le hiontaisí atá caomhnaithe go heisceachtúil.  Is é an t-údar agus an t-eagarthóir é ar roinnt leabhar atá anois ina dtagarmharcanna sa phailé-ointeolaíocht, ina measc sin tá The Fossils of the Burgess Shale agus Paleobiology – a Synthesis. Rinne sé a chéim i gColáiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath agus bhí gairm bheatha shuntasach aige mar phailé-ointeolaí i Cambridge, Londain, Bristol, Chicago agus Yale sular ceapadh é chuig an ról mór le rá seo i 2008.

Bronnadh Dochtúireacht san Oideachas (D.Ed). ar an Leasaitheoir Oideachais, An tSiúir Cyril Mooney agus Ardmháistreás ar Sealdah Loreto Day School in India.  Le níos mó ná 50 bliain bhí sí ina ceannródaí  bríomhar maidir le hoideachas a chur ar chailíní ó na cúlraí is boichte agus chruthaigh sí samhail d’oideachas measctha ina gcuirtear oideachas ar chailíní ó aicmí sóisialta éagsúla i dteannta a chéile. Tugadh tosaíocht d’oiliúint múinteoirí agus bhí an-tionchar ag a samhail ó thaobh mná a oiliúint ionas go ngníomhódh siad mar mhúinteoirí ina gcuid pobal áitiúil. Tá feachtas forleathan déanta ag an tSiúir Cyril freisin in aghaidh an chleachtais sclábhaíochta leanaí agus chun tacú leis na mná níos sine a gcónaíonn ar an tsráid.  Meastar go bhfuair os cionn 450,000 cailín as an India rochtain ar oideachas de bharr na hoibre a rinne sí.  I 2007 bronnadh an Padma Shri uirthi, an gradam sibhialta is airde in India.

Bronnadh Dochtúireacht sa Dlí (LL.D) ar Pat Matthews Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin Chumann Uathachais na hÉireann agus Iar-Uachtarán ar an Eagraíocht Dhomhanda Uathachais.  I rith a shaol bhí sé tiomanta do dhaoine le huathachas agus d’athraigh sé an bealach a fhéachtar agus a gcaitear le daoine le huathachas sa tsochaí.  Rinne sé feachtas láidir náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta ar son cearta na ndaoine le huathachas agus bhí sé ina cheannródaí ó thaobh tuiscint níos doimhne ar uathachas a chur chun cinn agus de bharr a chuid oibre tugtar ómós agus meas anois do dhaoine leis an míchumas seo.

Is í Norah Kelso  an tOifigeach Caidrimh Alumni i bhFondúireacht na Tríonóide i gColáiste na Tríonóide ó 1994. Le níos mó ná 25 bliain anuas is í aghaidh poiblí an Choláiste í i leith a alumni.  I rith na tréimhse seo, bhí ról lárnach aici i mórimeachtaí alumni bliantúla a eagrú agus ghníomhaigh sí mar Rúnaí chuig Cumann agus Iontaobhas TCD.  Chuaigh sí i mbun na ról seo go héifeachtach, go ciallmhar, le dea-ghiúmar agus le dínit.   Ba mhaith le pobal an Choláiste aitheantas a thabhairt don tseirbhís fhada agus aitheanta a thug sí don Choláiste agus dá alumni trí Mháistir Oinigh sna Dána (MA) a bhronnadh uirthi.