Glanbia's Kilkenny leader receives honorary doctorate in law

A Kilkenny woman who leads one of the biggest companies in Ireland was among those conferred with an honorary doctorate at University College Cork (UCC) today. 

The Managing Director of Glanbia, Siobhán Talbot, was recognised with a Degree of Doctor of Laws. Siobhán is the second Irish woman to head an Irish listed company. Siobhán has been at the heart of not only Glanbia’s transformation but has been a driving force in the transformation of the Irish dairy sector from a sector dominated by small, local co-operatives to one now being led by home-grown, global giants.

Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle, was conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Arts. Professor Boyle has overseen the integration of advisory, education and research functions in Teagasc, into a unique integrated model of research and knowledge transfer.

UCC alumnus Daragh Horgan, a financier, explorer and philanthropist, was conferred with a degree of Doctor of Laws. Horgan, together with his wife Anne, has a long history of giving back to UCC, notably facilitating the digitisation of the letters of George Boole, making them accessible to all who are interested in UCC’s holdings of the mathematician’s papers.

Marty Meehan, the President of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) was conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Education. President Meehan served as a member of the US Congress for 14 years and was instrumental in the collaboration on sustainability between UCC and UMass. UMass, as a longstanding Gold STAR recipient, provided leadership and mentoring to our Green Campus Team.

“These honorary conferrings are to recognise outstanding leaders in their fields, who have made significant contributions to their sectors, codes and societies.” commented the President of UCC, Professor Patrick O’Shea.