A victim of the Tuskar Rock air crash, who was killed before completing his masters qualification, has been awarded a posthumous degree in University College Cork (UCC) more than half a century after the tragedy.
Michael Cowhig from Kilbrittain, Co Cork, had been travelling to England to attend a conference in Reading when Aer Lingus Flight 712 crashed en route from Cork to London on March 24th, 1968.
The crash, which took place in the sea off Tuskar Rock, Co Wexford, claimed the lives of all 61 passengers and crew on board.
Mr Cowhig and his colleagues, John Nyhan and Thomas Dwane, worked at the Agricultural Research Institute at Moorepark, Fermoy – now Teagasc – and were to share their research into milking machine practice at the conference.
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He had submitted a thesis to University College Cork towards a masters qualification shortly before the crash.
The process of awarding the masters ended following his death, until his family recently approached UCC to ask that his work be reviewed for consideration.
They were prompted to do so by a memoir by Mr Cowhig’s supervisor, retired professor and former MEP Tom Raftery, which stated that the thesis had in fact been approved at the time for the award of a master’s degree.
Prof Alan Kelly, head of UCC school of food and nutritional sciences, subsequently reviewed Mr Cowhig’s thesis and recommended the university recognise it for the award of a master’s degree, which was agreed by the relevant college committees.
“The work was of a very high scientific standard, and presents an important historical record of technologies which were only newly being put in place on Irish farms,” Prof Kelly said. “If a thesis of this standard was submitted today we would have no hesitation in making the award.”
The masters was presented to Michael’s family by UCC president Professor John O’Halloran at a special ceremony in UCC attended by family, friends and former colleagues on Friday.
In a statement, the Cowhig family thanked UCC for their efforts in establishing the merits of their father’s research, as well as Teagasc and Tom Raftery for his “determined spirit” over many years in seeking to recognise their father
“We have always been very proud of what our Dad achieved in his short lifetime, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to attend this award ceremony in the company of so many of his former colleagues and friends,” the family said.
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