Overview
- Trinity College Dublin conferred honorary degrees on Friday, June 19, with former president Mary McAleese presenting the awards in a commencement ceremony.
- Katie Taylor received an honorary degree in legal studies and was praised by the university as possibly Ireland’s greatest sporting champion and a defining figure in women’s sport.
- Musician Sharon Shannon and writer Colm Tóibín were made Doctors of Literature while barrister Helena Kennedy and Sister Helen Prejean received honorary degrees in legal studies.
- Taylor took part in a campus question-and-answer event with staff, students and the Trinity Boxing Club before the ceremony, and she is set to end her professional career with a sold-out fight against Flora Pili at Croke Park on September 5.
- Trinity used the ceremony to spotlight achievements across culture, law and human rights, strengthening public recognition of the honourees and linking academic honours to ongoing civic influence.