Ronnie O’Gorman, founder and owner of the Galway Advertiser, has been awarded an honourary doctorate by NUIG.
O’Gorman was conferred with a Doctor of Arts by NUI Galway during the two weeks of conferring at the University underway this week.
The Galway Advertiser is a free weekly newspaper, now more than half a century old, with a weekly circulation of 56,000 copies.
In the time since its founding, sister papers the Mayo and Athlone Advertisers have also been launched.
Ronnie O’Gorman was the also the paper’s editor for decades, before Declan Varley took over in 2000.
The other honourary doctorate recipients include Jean Kelly, retired Director of Medicine at UHG; Prof David Harper, international expert on palaeontology and evolution; and Evelyn O’Toole, founder and CEO of Complete Laboratory Solutions.
Prof Hubert McDermott is a former Governing Authority member at NUIG; Dick Byrne, an architect and life-long contributor to the arts in Galway; Ailbhe Smith is an irish academic and artist; and last Bob Quinn, filmmaker, director, photographer, writer, editor and member of Aosdána.
Speaking ahead of the conferring ceremonies, NUI Galway President Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said that each of the honourary degree recipients had made an “outstanding and distinctive” contribution to their field.
“NUI Galway is very pleased to be in a position to openly respect the excellence of these individuals.”
