TWO ENTREPRENEURS credited with bringing Boston Scientific and the Volvo Ocean Race to the west of Ireland were among four leaders who were awarded honorary degrees by NUI Galway (NUIG) yesterday. Retired diplomat Seán Ó hUiginn and Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) president Anna Maria Dennison joined businessmen Bernard Collins and John Killeen at the ceremony on the college campus.
Mr Collins, who was awarded a doctorate in law, is an investor, chairman and non-executive director of several medical device companies, six of which are based in Galway.
He helped to bring Boston Scientific Corporation to Ireland and established Lifemed, to promote growth and partnership in life-science companies. He is a non-executive director of IDA Ireland, Creganna, Irish Life Permanent and Arc Royal and a board member of IDA Ireland.
Ms Dennison, who received a doctorate in the arts, is national president of the ICA which celebrates its centenary this year. A native of Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, she joined the ICA in 1989, and has held leadership roles at every level. She has participated in the National Economic Social Forum, and is a member of the Teagasc education and training forum.
Roscommon-born Mr Killeen, was awarded a doctorate in law. He has worked as assistant project manager on Ireland’s first large-scale tunnel project, the Grand Canal Scheme and is chairman of the Galway Docklands Redevelopment Committee.
Last year he was chairman of the group which brought the Volvo Ocean Race to Galway for the first time.
Mr Ó hUiginn, who was also awarded a doctorate in law, is a Mayo native and NUIG graduate who has held a number of key roles in the Department of Foreign Affairs, including deputy head of the Irish delegation to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, Consul-General of Ireland in New York, Irish ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and joint secretary of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast.