University of Galway yesterday announced the recipients of Honorary Degrees at the 2024 Autumn Conferring ceremonies. The Honorary Degree recipients will join over 1,800 graduands, at events running from Thursday August 22 to Tuesday August 27.
The five individuals the University will bestow with Honorary Degrees are:
— Gerry Kilcommins (Doctor of Engineering ), former Vice President Global Platform Manufacturing at Medtronic.
— Danny McCoy (Doctor of Economic Science ), Chief Executive Officer of Ibec.
— Mary Bennett (Doctor of Economic Science ), former owner of iconic Galway retail outlet The Treasure Chest and founding member of the Galway City Business Association and the Galway Business and Professional Women’s Network.
— John Davoren (Doctor of Science ), Co-Director of Caherconnell Archaeology Field School and owner of Caherconnell Fort Visitors Centre.
— Professor Jerome Sheahan (Doctor of Science ), Retired statistician/mathematician at University of Galway.
University of Galway President Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said the honorary degree ceremonies are “an opportunity to recognise people whose values and contribution are exemplars of why we are here as a university community and our own values and impact, in and for the world.
“Universities are more than what we do: we are animated communities, exemplars of our value to society and our values in society. On behalf of our University communities, I congratulate all of those being honoured for the distinguished contributions to Galway, Ireland and society and I look forward to our university coming together to honour them, and our graduates.”
Former Vice President of Global Operations, Medtronic, Gerry Kilcommins has also worked with Healthdyne, Becton Dickinson, CR Bard and AVE. A native of Newbridge, Co. Galway, he has held the position of President of the American Chamber of Commerce, Ireland was also Chairman for the Action Plan for Jobs Enterprise Ireland West Region. Gerry retired from Medtronic in April 2024 and has now set up his own consulting company. He was recently announced as the AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce ) US/Ireland Global Leadership Business Award Winner 2024.
Tuam -native Danny McCoy is Chief Executive Officer of Ibec, Ireland’s largest business representative organisation. He has been senior economist at the Central Bank of Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute as well as being a consultant to the European Commission in Brussels and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and an Honorary Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering.
Mary Bennett established The Treasure Chest in 1966, it was a landmark shop in Galway city centre until 2023. She served two separate four-year terms as Chair of Ireland West Tourism; as a director of Galway Corrib Airport; as a director of Aer Lingus and in 2002 was honoured as the first ever female World President of SKAL International. She has served as President of Galway Chamber and as National President of Chambers Ireland. She served as a Director of the Irish Goods Council and was a founding member of the Galway City Business Association and of the BPW - the Galway Business and Professional Women’s Network.
John Davoren is a farmer, businessman and innovator from Caherconnell, County Clare. In the mid-90s, John set about developing the site as a tourism and educational hub. Caherconnell Fort Visitors Centre opened to the public in 2003, John also began working with University of Galway to excavate the site. The excavations encouraged John to open an International Archaeological Field School at Caherconnell, with accreditation from University of Galway, attracting participants from around the world.
Professor Jerome Sheahan has Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Mathematical Sciences from University College Cork, Ireland, a Master’s degree in Statistics from Carleton University, Ottawa and a PhD in Mathematical Statistics from University of Calgary. He spent over 40 years in academia at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada and at University of Galway. He has won several lecturing awards, including twice winning our President’s award for excellence in teaching including in the inaugural year of this award in 2005, and again in 2015 and a National Teaching Hero award in 2016. He was also appointed as an Adjunct Professor in 2020. Jerome’seaching methods placed an emphasis on bringing out the best in students and he has been an inspiration to many.
