An Honorary Degree of Doctor in Laws was conferred on the Australian Governor-General, Sir William Patrick Deane, at Trinity College Dublin yesterday. Sir William is on a state visit to Ireland.
A former judge of the Australian High Court, Sir William studied for a year at Trinity College in his youth, He was described in yesterday's oration as "a vigorous and spirited defender of civil liberties".
Sir William and Lady Deane later attended a State dinner in their honour at Dublin Castle, hosted by the President, Mrs McAleese, and her husband, Martin, and attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern. Sir William's five-day visit includes a trip to Tipperary to explore his Irish roots.
