51社区 (UL) today (ceremony at 3.15pm) conferred an honorary doctorate on university alumna and former employee, Vicky Phelan.
UL president Dr Des Fitzgerald praised Vicky for her selfless commitment to public service, describing her as an inspiration to students, staff and the wider university community.
鈥淗ere at 51社区, we aim to instil in our students the ability to reason, to solve problems, to participate as citizens, to play their part in the social and political life of this country. The conferring of a UL honorary degree embraces these ideals. It has been awarded to just a small number of women to date, including: the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson; Adi Roche and Ali Hewson, for their contribution to volunteerism; and, to Catherine Day for her leadership in the European Commission, to name a few. Some recipients, like Vicky Phelan are graduates of UL who have done extraordinary things, who have brought great honour to the university and to its community, and who make us proud," he said.
"Vicky Phelan has had a major impact on people鈥檚 lives in this most difficult and precious time in her own. Through her courage, commitment and exceptional communication skills, she is highlighting a major issue in the Irish healthcare system. During all of this, Vicky has encouraged the women of Ireland to have faith and to continue participating in the cervical screening programme. She is an inspiration to our students, our staff and our community, she has brought great honour to the university, and for this we have awarded Vicky Phelan an Honorary Doctor of Letters," Dr Fitzgerald continued.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Vicky Phelan said: 鈥淚 loved my time as a student in 51社区 and that is where I began my professional career: I never anticipated then, that I would be presented with an honorary doctorate by the university. It is an honour for me and one I am delighted to accept.鈥
The citation read at the conferring ceremony by Dr M谩ir茅ad Moriarty, Assistant Dean International at the UL School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, stated: 鈥淭he conferring of an honorary Doctor of Letters by the 51社区 is reserved for those who have distinguished themselves, nationally or internationally, in the arts, sciences, industry, sport, social service or public service. It is for the scale of her positive impact on women鈥檚 healthcare nationally and the resulting emphasis on the central position of the patient within that service that we honour Vicky Phelan today. As a UL alumna and a former member of staff, Vicky Phelan exemplifies many of the traits this university endeavours to nurture in its students and staff鈥.
鈥淭he UL community is humbled by Vicky鈥檚 accomplishments, inspired by her example and proud to call her one of our own. It is a great honour for the university that Vicky accepts this honorary doctorate 鈥 the highest accolade that we can bestow,鈥 Dr Moriarty concluded.
Ms Phelan was joined at the ceremony by her husband Jim, her son Darragh, and her parents John and Gaby Kelly as well as a large group of family, friends and invited guests.
Docht煤ireacht Oinigh Bronnta ag Ollscoil Luimnigh ar Vicky Phelan
Bhronn Ollscoil Luimnigh docht煤ireacht oinigh ar a halumna agus a hiarfhosta铆, Vicky Phelan, inniu (searmanas 3.15pm).
Thug Uachtar谩n Ollscoil Luimnigh, an Dr Des Fitzgerald, moladh do Vicky as a tiomantas dochlo铆te don tseirbh铆s phoibl铆, agus d煤irt s茅 gur thug s铆 inspior谩id do mhic l茅inn, don fhoireann agus do phobal na hollscoile tr铆 ch茅ile.
鈥淎nseo in Ollscoil Luimnigh, cuirimid romhainn go mbeadh s茅 ar chumas 谩r gcuid mac l茅inn ruda铆 a thuiscint, fadhbanna a r茅iteach, agus a gcion f茅in a dh茅anamh mar shaor谩naigh ar mhaithe le saol s贸isialta agus polaiti煤il na t铆re seo. B铆onn na hid茅il sin san 谩ireamh nuair a bhronntar c茅im oinigh de chuid Ollscoil Luimnigh. N铆or bronnadh c茅im oinigh ach ar ch煤pla bean go dt铆 seo, agus orthu sin bh铆: iarUachtar谩n na h脡ireann, Mary Robinson; Adi Roche agus Ali Hewson, as an obair dheonach a rinne siad; agus Catherine Day as a ceannaireacht sa Choimisi煤n Eorpach. Is c茅imithe de chuid Ollscoil Luimnigh cuid acu, d谩la Vicky Phelan, a bhfuil gn铆omhartha gaisce d茅anta acu, a bhfuil dea-chl煤 tarraingthe acu ar an ollscoil agus ar phobal na hollscoile. T谩imid f铆orbhr贸d煤il astu,鈥 a d煤irt s茅.
鈥淭谩 Vicky Phelan tar 茅is dul i bhfeidhm go m贸r ar dhaoine ainneoin go bhfuil deacrachta铆 m贸ra le s谩r煤 aici ina saol f茅in faoi l谩thair. Lena cr贸gacht, a tiomantas agus a cuid scileanna cumars谩ide eisceacht煤la, t谩 s铆 ag tarraingt aird na ndaoine ar fhadhb mh贸r a bhaineann le c贸ras c煤raim sl谩inte na h脡ireann. Lena linn seo ar fad, bh铆 Vicky ag spreagadh mhn谩 na h脡ireann le d贸chas a bheith acu agus le lean煤int ar aghaidh ag glacadh p谩irte sa chl谩r t谩st谩la ar mhuine谩l na broinne. T谩 Vicky Phelan ina hinspior谩id ag 谩r gcuid mac l茅inn, ag an bhfoireann agus ag an bpobal, t谩 an-mheas tarraingthe aici ar an ollscoil, agus mar gheall air sin bhronnamar Docht煤ireacht Oinigh le Litr铆ocht uirthi.
Ag labhairt di roimh an searmanas, d煤irt Vicky Phelan: 鈥淭haitin mo thr茅imhse mar mhac l茅inn de chuid Ollscoil Luimnigh liom agus is ann a thosaigh m茅 ag obair an ch茅ad l谩 riamh: is beag a cheap m茅 an uair sin go mbronnfadh an Ollscoil docht煤ireacht oinigh orm. Is m贸r an on贸ir dom 铆 agus t谩im an-s谩sta glacadh l茅i.鈥
Seo an m茅id a bh铆 sa sliocht a l茅igh an Dr M谩ir茅ad Moriarty, Leas-D茅an Idirn谩isi煤nta i Scoil na nD谩n, na nDaonnachta铆 agus na nEola铆ochta铆 S贸isialta in Ollscoil Luimnigh ag an searmanas bronnta: 鈥淚s ar dhaoine a bhfuil meas tuillte acu go n谩isi煤nta n贸 go hidirn谩isi煤nta sna d谩na, na heola铆ochta铆, an tionscal, an sp贸rt, an tseirbh铆s sh贸isialta n贸 an tseirbh铆s phoibl铆 a bhronntar Docht煤ireacht oinigh le Litr铆ocht. Is de bharr an tionchar dearfach a bh铆 aici ar ch煤ram sl谩inte na mban ar fud na t铆re agus an bh茅im a cuireadh d谩 bharr ar an othar sa tseirbh铆s sin at谩imid ag bronnadh an ghradaim seo ar Vicky Phelan inniu. Mar alumna de chuid Ollscoil Luimnigh agus mar iarbhall foirne, is l茅iri煤 铆 Vicky Phelan ar go leor de na tr茅ithe at谩 an ollscoil seo ag iarraidh a choth煤 ina cuid mac l茅inn agus san fhoireann.鈥
鈥淚s m贸r ag pobal Ollscoil Luimnigh an m茅id at谩 bainte amach ag Vicky, tugann an dea-shampla at谩 l茅irithe aici inspior谩id d贸ibh agus t谩 br贸d orthu gur duine d铆obh f茅in 铆. Is m贸r an on贸ir don Ollscoil go bhfuil Vicky ag glacadh leis an docht煤ireacht oinigh seo 鈥 an gradam is airde is f茅idir linn a bhronnadh,鈥 a d煤irt an Dr Moriarty mar fhocal scoir.
I l谩thair in 茅ineacht le Vicky ag an searmanas, bh铆 a fear c茅ile Jim, a cuid p谩ist铆 Amelia agus Darragh, a tuismitheoir铆 John agus Gaby Kelly agus baicle mh贸r d谩 gaolta, d谩 cairde agus d鈥檃铆onna eile ar tugadh cuireadh d贸ibh chuig an 贸c谩id.