Trinity College Dublin honours 10 notable alumni with awards

Posted on: 21 October 2022

The 2022 Trinity College Dublin alumni awards were held last night [October 20th] on campus.

Alumni awards, the first to be delivered in person since 2017, went to European Medicines Agency director Emer Cooke and Intercom founders Eoghan McCabe and Ciarán Lee, history and wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin and philanthropist Dr Samuel Lam (both absent from the ceremony), performance coach Jack Kavanagh, Virgin Money UK chief executive officer David Duffy, poet Paula Meehan, barrister Susan Ahern and (posthumously) financier Declan Sheehan. 

Alumni awards are a recognition by Trinity of the important contributions that alumni have made in their field. These individuals have made a substantial mark in their fields professionally and as citizens of the world. Awardees are selected by an Alumni Awards Committee made up of members of the academic community, the Registrar of the College and representatives from the Trinity Association & Trust and Provost’s Council. 

Pictured above are (from left) Eoghan McCabe, Susan Ahern, Emer Cooke, Ciarán Lee, David Duffy, Provost Linda Doyle and in front, Paula Meehan and Jack Kavanagh

Susan Ahern graduated in 1994 and is a practicing barrister, accredited mediator, and international arbiter, with over 25 years' experience in commercial and sports law practice. Susan has sat as an arbitrator in many international cases, including for the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is an advisor to international organisations, particularly in the areas of corporate governance and dispute resolution and has been appointed by the Irish government to several bodies, including to the Conciliator Panel of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington DC, part of the World Bank.  

Liz Bonnin (1992) studied biochemistry and later completed a Master in wild animal biology with the Royal Veterinary College and Zoological Society of London. Her landmark BBC One documentary Drowning in Plastic investigated the ocean plastics crisis and raised the level of public debate on this important topic. 

Emer Cooke, who has an M.B.A from 1985, is the first woman and Irish person to lead the European Medicines Agency and has skillfully guided the authorisation of life-saving vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has dedicated her career to public service for the benefit of citizens all over the world.  

David Duffy, chief executive officer at Virgin Money UK, graduated from Trinity in 1994 and has held several senior roles in the international banking industry, most recently as chief executive of Allied Irish Banks. Working with Social Bite, a charity focused on ending homelessness, he showed excellence bringing CEOs together for an overnight sleepout to raise money and awareness. What started as a small one-off grew into an international event. David was the largest private individual fundraiser and committed Virgin Money as the largest corporate fundraiser. Under David's stewardship, Virgin Money has worked with Macmillan, demonstrating creativity and collaboration by launching bespoke financial support for people living with or affected by cancer. 

Above is Provost Linda Doyle with Declan Sheehan's brother Stephen, who received the award on his behalf

Jack Kavanagh, who was left paralysed by a spinal cord injury at the age of 20, graduated from Trinity in 2017 and went on to complete a Master's in Pharmacy at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. In his work as a performance and resilience coach, Jack is passionate about accompanying people on their journey of wellbeing, mental fitness, personal development, and leadership. He works with individuals and groups as they transform towards the person or team they want to and can be. Jack’s TED talk “Fearless Like a Child” is still reaching and inspiring people. 

Samuel Lam (1963) studied Medicine at Trinity and went on to have a stellar career in Canada and was a pioneer in Filmless radiology. He is a lifetime philanthropist who has dedicated himself to promoting the development of health services, social sciences, and education. He enabled the university to establish Chinese Studies as a new area of disciplinary expertise.  

Eoghan McCabe graduated with a B.A in Computer Science in 2006, while Ciarán Lee completed a BA in Engineering in 2004. In 2011, they co-founded Intercom, a software company that now employs 1,000 people. 

Paula Meehan, a poet, and playwright, has a wealth of publications and achievements to her name. Awarded Chair of Irish poetry and Professor of Poetry, her words transcend culture and creed and manifests what we are best at in Ireland, the use of the English language through the medium of our Irish culture. 

Declan Sheehan (1985 and MA in 2017), who died on March 5th, 2022, was an extraordinary man who contributed generously to charitable institutions throughout his life. He had an extraordinarily successful career in banking. In the 1980s and 1990s he was involved with AIDS charity ACT-UP in New York and later he was a donor to the Terrence Higgins Trust in London, acting on his commitment to LGBT rights and to helping other people. 

 
ENDS  

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