The creator of the majestic gardens at Mount Congreve, Co Waterford, Mr Ambrose Congreve, has been awarded an honorary degree by Trinity College Dublin.
Another man with connections to historic homes and gardens, Mr Desmond FitzGerald, the Knight of Glin, also received an honorary degree yesterday.
Mr Fitzgerald is the director of the Irish Architectural Archive.
One of Trinity's medical graduates, Dame Beulah Bewley, was recognised for her work in the healthcare area.
She has worked for many years in the Royal Society of Medicine's section on epidemiology and public health and was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire two years ago.
Also recognised was Dr George Eogan, a former professor of archaeology at UCD, who is best known as the excavator of Knowth burial site.
Honoured, too, was Mr Patrick Mason, the theatre director.