Universities honour 'Renaissance man' Feeney

Philanthropist Chuck Feeney was described as the “Renaissance man of Irish higher education” when the universities of Ireland conferred an honorary doctorate on the Atlantic Philanthropies founder in Dublin last week, reports Mary Minihan for The Irish Times.

The Irish-American businessman was praised during the ceremony in Dublin Castle for donating more than €1.25 billion (US$1.58 billion) to projects across the Republic and Northern Ireland, and for giving some €800 million to Irish universities.

Former president Mary Robinson, chancellor of Trinity College Dublin, described Feeney’s philosophy as one of “giving during living”. Feeney had transformed Ireland’s higher education and research capacity by providing new and refurbished university buildings, she said. He had funded scholarships, libraries and student housing facilities, as well as collaborating with government in the creation of research initiatives.
Full report on The Irish Times site