President Mary McAleese

President Mary McAleese was conferred with the highest honour that Athlone Institute of Technology can bestow in a special ceremony attended by over 500 people in Athlone on 31 January.

The President was the recipient of the Distinguished Fellowship of AIT, the first time that the institute had granted such an award. The Distinguished Fellowship gives President McAleese life-long membership of AIT.

According to the Director of AIT, Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, President McAleese has made an ‘outstanding contribution to Ireland. Hers has been a presidency and career engaged with ideals, openness, tolerance, representation and noble causes.’

The Distinguished Fellowship honours individuals who, through active leadership and/or scholarly endeavour have made continuing significant contributions to society, Ireland, the Midlands, the local community or to the development and advancement of AIT. The President ‘exemplifies the spirit of service, generosity, leadership and inspiration which we wish to recognise in this award. In truth you are setting the yardstick,’ Professor Ó Catháin stated.

‘During her presidency, Mary McAleese has been an articulate, impressive and sophisticated representative of Ireland on the world stage. She has communicated the great success and wealth – economic and social – of our country to an international audience. From trade visits to missions of discovery, hers has always been a voice worth listening to,’ he said.

During a trade mission to China in 2003, the Director stated he had the opportunity to witness at close hand ‘how remarkable an ambassador the President is for Ireland’. This was the largest visit of its kind with 180 organisations represented. President McAleese had also visited AIT in 2000 when she spoke at a dinner to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the foundation of the Institute and she launched the second edition of Athlone Institute of Technology’s Modern Irish Art Collection.

Reflecting the presidential theme of bridge building, Professor Ó Catháin said that AIT had emulated her example. ‘A basic tenet of the development drive of AIT has been to connect and build relationships at local, national and international levels, with our students and their families, with schools, with businesses, with public bodies. President McAleese herself has assisted us in our drive to make international connections, an area in which we have blazed a trail,’ he said. He pointed to the institute’s recent success in the recent Strategic Innovation Fund initiative and the memorandum of understanding with DCU as providing a new model for the sector.