THE PROVOST of Trinity College and the university’s board members were dressed in their full academic gowns and hoods yesterday to mark the announcement of two honorary fellows, 16 new fellows and 103 new scholars – a record for the college.
They were joined by students and staff, who gathered in the college’s front square for a colourful ceremony that dates back to the foundation of the college in 1592 and that marks the beginning of the annual Trinity Week.
President Michael D Higgins was named as one of two recipients of honorary doctorates, for his “strong commitment to education throughout the course of his career and focusing his presidency on youth and education while promoting Ireland abroad and reconnecting with the Irish diaspora”.
Meanwhile Trinity alumnus and professor of anatomy in the Royal College of Surgeons and in the Royal Hibernian Academy, Prof Thomas Clive Lee, also received an honorary doctorate. Prof Lee is a leading authority on the biology of bone tissue, assessing bone quality and osteoporosis, who has a continued connection with Trinity as a researcher and lecturer.
Among the scholars announced yesterday was actor Jack Gleeson, who stars in the HBO series Game of Thrones and who was honoured for a two-subject moderatorship in philosophy and world religions and theology.
Trinity Week runs from April 16th to 20th and includes talks, lectures, presentations and an academic symposium around the theme “science, technology, engineering and mathematics in society”.
Topics on this year’s agenda include earthquakes, geology, energy, mineral exploration and pyrite. Events are free and open to the public.
A full programme of events can be found at tcd.ie/trinityweek