Roy Keane, the iron man of the English Premiership and the keeper of Ireland's hopes as we head for the World Cup, was shaking like a leaf. "The old nerves are comin' at me. I'm not good at this kind of stuff. It's not me, really," he said.
We were chatting in a room off the president's office at UCC where he was about to don the cap and gown to receive an honorary doctorate of laws in recognition of his immense contribution to Irish sport and the world of football.
This heroic figure on the field of play was truly ill at ease about what lay ahead. Was it more nerve-racking than running on to the pitch at Old Trafford for a vital game in front of 70,000 knowledgeable and critical fans?
"That's a piece of cake. That's what I do," he said. "But I'm dreading this. The honour is great and all that, but I find it a bit embarrassing, to be honest. I mean when I saw the names of the other gentlemen who were getting honorary degrees I was a bit shocked. Having to make a speech and everything in this kind of company . . . No, I'd rather be facing a hard match in front of a tough crowd any day of the week," he said.
In a suit and tie, the Manchester United and Ireland captain looks almost skeletal. Every ounce of excess weight has been chipped away through rigorous training and diet.
All that's left now is pure footballing muscle. He has honed not only his skills but his body to make him a better footballer and, arguably, one of the most accomplished midfielders in the world game.
After a gruelling season, a failure, in Manchester United terms, with nothing to show for it except delight on the faces of the debunkers, was he not feeling a little exhausted?
"No, I'm feeling great physically and mentally and I'm looking forward now to the World Cup. The downside is that after a hard season like we've had, you would expect to be able to spend more time with the family, but that's not possible.
" My wife will take the four kids on a break to Florida and then we'll have a family holiday later. Manchester United are very good about it, really. They're going to give the World Cup players extra time off from training before the new season so that we can have a bit of break as well," he added.
On the eve of the final Premiership game of the season, against Charlton, Keane knew already how he was going to feel when the final whistle blew. "It's going to be strange. I'll almost be expecting someone to hand over the silverware, but it won't be coming, not this year, anyway.
"The thing is, we must give credit where credit is due, so hats off to Arsenal. We have to hold our hands up and admit that we did not produce enough to win anything. We just didn't do enough to win trophies and that's being honest. We lost too many games in mid-season and after that we were only playing catch-up," he said.
And that was the cue to ask the question lots of Manchester United fans have been asking. Did he, as has been suggested in some tabloids, attempt to throttle Veron in the dressing-room after another one of his poor performances recently, and are there too many prima donnas on the team who don't give their all as he does?
"I think Veron has been doing quite well for a new player coming into the side," he said. "I always thought that when we were slotting in new players it would be harder than ever to win trophies.
"My criticism was not about the new players. I was referring to the established players, the players who have been at the club a long time and who know the ins and outs. These are the ones you look to," Keane said.
Which players? "Like I said, some of the established ones who have been around for a long time. I'll leave it at that," he added.
Ireland's chances in the World Cup? "Realistically, we will be lucky to get out of the group stage. It will be a lot harder than people think with teams like Cameroon and Saudia Arabia. After the first stage, we'll need a bit of luck as well. The thing is, this is a great chance for players.
"Competing against the best footballers in the world will be a real test of character for our players. It will be a high point in their careers so we have to go to Japan determined to do well for the fans and hoping things go our way," he said.
As for thoughts of retiring, Keane said he is enjoying the game too much to even think along those lines for another few years.
"Four years down the road, who knows whether or not the body will stand up? I'm not looking that far ahead. But if the time comes when I'm not doing myself or my club justice, definitely I'll be the first to say enough is enough," he said.
Outside, hundreds of students were chanting "Keano, Keano, Keano." It was time to head for the Aula Maxima. "This is not my scene," he whispered nervously.