Sir Bob becomes Dr Geldof as honorary UCD doctorate conferred

Bob Geldof was awarded the ultimate honour at a ceremony in UCD yesterday: a compliment from his father. Not an extravagant compliment, mind you.

Arriving for his son's conferral with a doctorate and asked if he was proud of the boy's efforts to change the world, Bob Geldof snr gushed: "A bit - some of the time."

But when young Bob (53) greeted him with a hug and a kiss, the warmth between the Geldofs was palpable. "I'm a doctor now," the former Boomtown Rat told him, beaming. "I'll be able to treat your knee."

In fact, it was a doctorate of law he was getting, which is not much use for knees.

But there was some serious medical expertise at the ceremony in the form of Robert C Gallo, the man who pioneered the study of human retrovirology, including the HIV virus.

Dr Gallo was awarded a doctorate of science, while the colourful quartet of honorees was completed by film-maker Neil Jordan and political scientist Carole Patemen, both made doctors of literature.

The four were chosen as part of UCD's 150th anniversary celebrations for their "exceptional contribution to global society".

In the citation, UCD president Hugh Brady described Geldof as "a rock star, a humanitarian, a business entrepreneur, a revolutionary, a true innovator in the use of English in the mass media and, not least, a heroic father".

He reminded everyone of the singer's "easily overlooked" contribution to Irish popular music and paid tribute to this "truly inspirational" campaign on behalf of fathers' rights.

But another campaign was dominating Geldof's thoughts yesterday, and his innovative use of English was being put to good effect. Responding to one radio interviewer, he spoke non-stop for 15 minutes until nobody could remember what the question was.

And there were three new Live 8 concerts to be announced - in Tokyo, Toronto and Johannesburg.

The main difference in the 20 years between Live Aid and Live 8 was that "cynicism has seeped in everywhere", he said. "And yet we seem to be winning."

Last week's debt-cancellation was a "fantastic victory", partly because if it hadn't been announced then, "that's what they would have thrown us at Gleneagles".

Now, the agenda for the G8 summit could be moved on to the subjects of aid and trade. "There's just a sniff in the wind that we might get there, but we won't get there without doing ludicrous circuses."

For those anxious to attend one of those circuses - the Live 8 concert in London's Hyde Park next month - he had good news.

Indiscretion is one of the innovations he's pioneered in the mass media, and he hinted that Irish people without a ticket should go to London anyway.

"I'm not supposed to talk about this, but I know there are arrangements to let thousands of extra people into the park on the day."

Officially there were only 150,000 tickets. "But it's Hyde Park. It's vast. Draw your own conclusions."