2009 Press Releases

Conferring Ceremonies at University College Cork - September 10th 2009
10.09.2009

Conferring ceremonies continued today (September 10th 2009) at University College Cork with over 500 undergraduate and postgraduate students graduating from the Colleges of Science, Engineering & Food Science, Medicine & Health and Business & Law.

The Conferring Addresses were delivered by Professor Peter Gregson, President & Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University, Belfast (attached), Mr Seán O’Driscoll, Group Chief Executive, Glen Dimplex (attached) and Mr Ger O’Mahoney, President, Cork Chamber.

Conferring Address by Professor Peter Gregson, President & Vice Chancellor, Queen’s University, Belfast, September 10th 2009
President, Graduates, Academic Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen.  

It is an enormous pleasure for me to share in this celebration today.  
In a professional capacity, it is a privilege for me to come to University College Cork – one of the three sister Queen’s Colleges which share their Foundation Day in 1845.  In 1908 we went our separate ways as the National University of Ireland and Queen’s University Belfast, but, despite our different histories, our respective universities have secured outstanding reputations in their 160 year history. And we share a common commitment to the advancement of knowledge through the pursuit of world class research and through education provision of the highest standard.  

Higher Education in Ireland and the UK remains one of the most successful and vibrant in the world.   Universities like University College Cork make an enormous contribution to the cultural, social and economic development of societies on this island and overseas.
 
It is a pleasure to be here in a personal capacity.  I truly understand the importance of partnership, not least between institutions in these islands. I was born in Scotland, took up my first job in South Wales, spent the formative years of my career in the South of England, and now live and work on this island of Saints and Scholars as a leader of higher education.  It is therefore with pride and a passion for higher education that I address this assembly.   

But above all, it is a pleasure to share this day with you, and to have the opportunity to celebrate your individual and collective achievements.

To the graduates I say “well done”; you have worked hard for this moment.   Congratulations on your achievements.  You are centre-stage today – deservedly so.  Savour today’s celebrations. Enjoy the spotlight.

To the staff of University College Cork, both academic and support, I say, “thank you” for all your efforts.  They have ensured that today’s graduates have enjoyed the best possible experience at this great university.  

And to parents, and I speak as a parent myself, I say “thank you” for all the love and support that you have provided for today’s graduates.  None of us should underestimate the influence we have on others. Parents have a pivotal role in raising aspirations and supporting achievement.  This is your day too.

It is, therefore, as a community that we assemble here to congratulate everyone who has contributed to this day of celebration – this great rite of passage.  For those of us fortunate to have benefitted from higher education, conferment is rightly one of the major events in our lives, and rightly so.  

The first conferring ceremony was in Bologna almost 1000 years ago.  It was conducted entirely in Latin, and it lasted 6 hours.  Every year since, University Presidents find a way to break all previous records.  And so it is that Professor Murphy has invited me to speak at this celebration.   I am, however, in something of a dilemma.  The President has requested an eight-hour address, and yet I realise that I am the only thing standing between you and the celebrations which follow this ceremony.  

As an engineer, I can manage Maths.  Michael, there are only two Presidents in this hall and there are 1,200 others.  I believe that discretion is the better part of valour!  And so I will be brief.

Ladies and Gentlemen:  Today’s rite of passage is like a coin.  It has two sides, and I believe both are equally important.  On the Conferment, or Graduation, side we look back and celebrate achievement.  And on the other side, we look forward, recognising that today marks the opening of a new chapter in the life journey of our graduates.  That’s why, in America, this right of passage is referred to as Commencement – a beginning - and it is this side of the coin I would like to talk about now.  

Graduates:  As you leave University College Cork, you will take your degree parchment with you – it is the passport to your future career. It can take you anywhere in the world.   But UCC has given you much more than a piece of paper.  You have been prepared for more than a career – you have been prepared for a life.   You have acquired a wide range of skills which will allow you to play a variety of roles with confidence.  And you take with you the shared experiences and friendships forged in the classroom, in the bar or on the sports field.  

You have learned to think critically, and you now know how to work in teams with people from different backgrounds and different perspectives.  All of these experiences, and many more, stand you in good stead as you embark on your career.   

As you open the next chapter of your life’s journey, some of you will have a clear trajectory in mind, but many more will not.   My first job with GKN Rolled and Bright Steel in Cardiff; it was not an obvious rung on the ladder to Presidency of a University.  My PhD in Material Science did not automatically signal a research career with the aerospace sector.  And my academic reputation at Imperial College and the University of Southampton did not automatically point me in the direction of Queen’s University Belfast.   

Like mine, your life journey will be marked by many and varied opportunities; seize them, and don’t be afraid to fail.   It is by taking risks that we discover ourselves and our true potential.

Let me share with you a brief life résumé – see if you can identify the person:  

Failed in business, aged 22.  Again failed in business, aged 24.  Elected to the legislature, aged 25 – there’s a hint.   Had a nervous breakdown, aged 27.  Defeated for Speaker of the House, aged 29.  Defeated for Congress, aged 34 – there’s a strong lead.  Elected to Congress, aged 37.  Defeated for Congress, aged 39.  Defeated for the Senate, aged 46.   Defeated for Vice-President, aged 47.  Defeated for Senate, aged 49.  Elected President of the United States, aged 51.   

That’s the curriculum vitae of Abraham Lincoln.  It bears out the well-known words of Robert F. Kennedy who said “only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly”.

So you leave University College Cork equipped for a life, equipped for a career in Engineering.  But more than that, you are equipped to become a leader of tomorrow.

And, in becoming a leader, most of you will select role-models – not people you want to copy, but people who you respect, who share the same values as you - people past and present who provide you with inspiration.

Your inspiration may come from friends and family who are making a valuable contribution to society.  It may come from your teachers at University College Cork who have inspired you to seek fame and fortune – in which case the University will keep track of you!  Or it may be an inventor or entrepreneur whose crazy idea has changed the way we live.  

The world is full of role models.  And I’m reminded of a young computer engineer named Mike who decided to start his own software company.  He arranged to meet several potential investors at a restaurant where he knew Bill Gates always had lunch.   Mike arrived half-an-hour early for the appointment and went straight to Gates’ table.   “Excuse me, Mr Gates”, he began,  “but you are my idol.  I want to start my own software company, just like you.  I’m meeting some backers here today.  They would be incredibly impressed if you stopped by our table and said: “Hi Mike”.   

Gates was impressed by Mike’s ambition and initiative, and he agreed.  
So once he saw that Mike’s group had arrived, Gates obligingly went over to their table.  He tapped his admirer on the shoulder, and said “Hi Mike”.  “Not now, Bill, not now”, interrupted Mike, “can’t you see I’m busy?”
In conclusion, I would like to take one last look at the coin.

In this Conferring Ceremony we celebrate the achievements of our graduates and also the roles played by their families and friends and by the staff of University College Cork.   We look forward with eager anticipation to the next chapter in the life journey of each of our graduates.   To each of our graduates I say “Seize the opportunities that lie ahead”.

Remember the words of the great Italian artist Michelangelo when he said:  “The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and miss it, but that we aim too low and achieve it.”

My congratulations to you all.  My best wishes for the future go with you.  And, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “Whatever you are, be a good one”.
ENDS
__________________

Conferring Address by Mr Sean O’Driscoll, Group Chief Executive, Glen Dimplex, September 10th 2009

Help Create the Future, Do Not Live in the Past
President Murphy, Members of the Governing Body, Interim Head of the College, Members of the University, Parents and especially my fellow UCC Commerce graduates.

I am honoured to address you on this most special occasion. Congratulations on your wonderful achievement.  I know the discipline, study and pressure of the exam hall, that you have all endured to become a member of the select club of UCC Commerce Graduates, and I am delighted to welcome you as our newest members.

Your Graduation day is one of reflection, to dream of your future, and to celebrate a team  effort by acknowledging the love, support and sacrifices made by your parents, and a day to remember deceased parents – they, like us, would be so proud of your achievements.

I recall my first day on this campus - prior to my first lecture, I sat on the seat in front of the President’s office and asked myself, what am I doing here?  I convinced myself that it would end in failure, but mercifully my stay would be short -  thankfully my first lecture was Applied Psychology!   To my great gratitude, UCC was a phenomenal experience for me.  I had four of the most wonderful years of my life and met my wife here.  Like you, UCC gave me the freedom to learn, build my confidence, explore my interests and develop lifelong friendships in a happy and caring environment.

Today’s  World  
You are graduating at a time of great economic uncertainty in Ireland and in the world.  You are bombarded with constant negative news by the media, with an endless supply of despair and despondency -  some of it justified but much of it not.  It has always been thus  - the news business has never been about good news because it doesn’t sell.  However, the reality is that economies are never actually as good or as bad as they look, at a particular point in time in an economic cycle.

Misery loves company, and as Oscar Wilde said ‘The World belongs to the Discontented’.  The discontents have built up a significant following in Ireland and on your special day, I ask you please, please, do not hang out with this gang, you would not enjoy it.  

The catalyst for the current economic crisis was extravagant, conspicuous and unsustainable consumption – your generation would call it in-your-face consumption.  Unfortunately, we in Ireland gorged on it and the consequences demonstrate how irrationality can lead us all astray.

This may be the worst global economic crisis since the 1930’s, but just as the darkness of night is followed by the light of day – it will end sooner rather than later, and indeed there are already tentative signs of stability and recovery.  When it finally recovers it will be a better and more sustainable world that we all live in.

This is no time to write off Ireland.  Yes, times are difficult but like you, our people are well educated, we have world class industries operating here and our infrastructure is well developed.  As the wreckage of the unsustainable boom is washed away, it is you who will help us create safer and more sustainable sources of economic growth, and renew our prosperity. You are the future, intelligent, well educated and full of energy.

The Cool ‘70’s
On 17 July 1977, like you today, I sat in the Aula Maxima on my graduation day.  The Ireland of 1977 was grim and depressed,  a very different country to the one you love, know, and live in.  Unemployment was 18%, interest rates 17% and inflation 14%.  The largest employers in Cork were Ford assembling cars, Dunlop making tyres, Sunbeam textiles, and Lee Footwear shoes.  Within five years none of these businesses existed.  

When I tell my children this, they tell me how sad I am and give me their usual clinical advice -  ‘to get a life’.  You know what -  they are right, because in the cool ‘70’s  -
* Webs were built by spiders
* Texts read from books and
* Windows were for looking through.
* Amazon was a River and Bing a Singer
* Apples grew on trees, Blackberrys on briars and Nokia made tyres.
* A Yahoo was a loud person lacking in education and
* Googling, the sounds that adults made to babies.
* However, Bantry did have A-Bay and
* We watched (the) Sky at night, -  to - sea(e) the stars.  
* Face Books and Colouring pencils were given to children and
* It is with some authority I can tell you, myspace was a dingy bedsitter on the Western Road.
* But we did have  Del – Boy  didn’t we get some life.

We have enjoyed three decades of extraordinary technological developments which shows, what is not possible today – is possible tomorrow.  

Today, you are graduating into an exhilarating new world, one that has dreams, technologies and knowledge that we never had.  Fellow Commerce Graduates, never underestimate the inventiveness of mankind, the power of change, the energy of optimism, the value of education, and the need to differentiate between the world of yesterday and that of tomorrow.

The Inventiveness of mankind
The imagination, creativity and vision of mankind has always been underestimated.   In 1900, the Director General of the US Patent Office,  Mr Charles Duell, infamously pronounced ‘everything that can be invented -  has been invented’.  He may have been the protector of his nation’s innovation but not very imaginative was he !   

But this was a time when American families spent twice as much on funerals,  as on medicines and, if you asked what would the transport of the future be, most likely you would have been told Faster Horses !   Yet, within 8 years Henry Ford had launched the Model T and it was a century during which his fellow Americans put Men on the Moon.  

Remember the words of  Albert Einstein ‘Imagination  is more important than Knowledge,  because Knowledge is Finite’.

The Power of Change
Change is in perpetual motion, it never stops.  Those who say,  but it all happened so quickly, miss the point.  They were asleep on their watch.  In October, I will be back in UCC celebrating our 30 year reunion, no doubt  we will all be looking at one and other and thinking – not exactly a bottle of Bordeaux – didn’t age very well!  But we will all have changed in so many, many  respects.   Change is a natural phenomenon, it is vital and allows us to regenerate.  You should encourage it, not prevent it.  It is always better to create your own future,  than wait for external forces to dictate your choices, a discipline you should never give up on.

The Energy of Optimism
To aspire to that future you need realism and optimism.  Young people are optimists but it is a tough time to be one,  it is currently so fashionable to be downbeat.  Remember, we all get overly exuberant in good times and too pessimistic in bad times.

Pessimists focus on failure and when they do, it shapes their attitude to life and the future.  Optimists have open minds, and believe that things will improve more than others do.  They  generate consumer confidence, business investment, risk-taking and jobs – they believe in the possibility of the future.

One optimist in a sea of pessimists can make all the difference.  This is leadership- taking responsibility for the future, and do we need it.

The Value of Education
Education is a lifelong process - today, think of yourselves as a Book.  The first chapter has been written, the remainder of your lives to unfold, and the other chapters yet to be written.  You are a Work in Progress - so much more for you to know and to learn.  One of the great gifts in life is the ability to listen.  Listen and you will learn.  

Don’t try to come up with the right answers, concentrate on coming up with the right questions.   Don’t concentrate on studying success, learn by examining the failure of others.  Good leaders remain life long students, always asking questions of others, never afraid to ask a question that is obvious to them – because it may not be obvious to others.

Thomas Edison said ‘we don’t know one millionth of 1% about anything’ and 80 years after his death, his observation still holds true.  When people complain to you about the cost of education ask them a simple question - to reflect on the price and consequences of ignorance.

The World of Yesterday and that of Tomorrow
History is downstream – the future is upstream, however, it is more difficult to get upstream and requires sustained effort.  Dedicate yourself to getting there, and make it easier by surrounding  yourself with  smart people, people smarter than yourself and who will challenge you.  If you associate with the right people they do not need to be motivated or challenged, they know how to get upstream.    

Constantly, re-invent yourself,  this does not require  frequent career  changes.  U2 do not re-invent themselves by abandoning music to become accountants or lawyers.  They re-invent themselves effortlessly, doing what they love, by being creative, imaginative and learning.  They do not live in the world of yesterday, they look to tomorrow.  You too should.

Concluding Comments
This great University at which Finbarr taught, has served you magnificently and today is  justifiably proud of your achievement.  As you commence writing your second chapter, support this institution and become proud ambassadors of your Faculty, University and Country.  

Always remember that on graduating you have also passed another examination – the Cork Examination -  set by none other than the late the Sean O’Faolain, like you, a graduate of this University.  He said – to succeed in Cork, you need the agility of a Hawk, the speed of a Hare, the skin of a Rhinoceros and the Dissimilation of a Crocodile.  Fellow Commerce Graduates,  you have been well prepared.

I wish you a most enjoyable day, continued success, health and happiness in your lives.  We have invested heavily and wisely in your education  - because as the ad says - you are worth  it – YOU ARE THE FUTURE.

Keep Listening , Learning, and Remain  Young and Optimistic !

Go raibh mille maith agaibh go léir.
ENDS

_____________________________

Conferring Address by Mr Ger O’Mahoney, President, Cork Chamber, September 10th 2009
President, Members of the University, new graduates and distinguished guests, it’s a great honour to be invited here this afternoon to firstly congratulate today’s graduates and secondly to share one of two observations with you as you look to the future and decide what route you will now take as you embark on your career.

By way of a very brief introduction, I am a Partner with the professional services firm Deloitte in Cork, where I head up the Corporate Finance department and also am the partner in charge of our offices both in Cork and Limerick. This year, I am also president of the Cork Chamber of Commerce and I suppose it is through both these roles that I have developed just one or two opinions that I would like to share with you today!
 
You will be congratulated many times today – and it is thoroughly deserved. But I think that it is important to reflect for a few moments on what exactly these congratulations are for. It’s not for the ‘all nighter’ pulled before the economics exam, and nor is it for your final result achieved here today. I believe that it is for the body of knowledge that you have gained over the last number of years and the potential you now have to take that knowledge and really do something with the fantastic education that you have received here at UCC. This education comprises many things - not just course work and study - but also the people you have met, the new experiences you have enjoyed and the challenges you have encountered. I am a firm believer that education is the most powerful enabler that a person can have and because of this, the people here in this room will be critical to the future of our country. To have received this education is a privilege and for that you should be truly thankful.

I have to say it’s more than a little daunting to be standing up here before the country’s future economists, entrepreneurs and, worse again, perhaps the future leaders of this country!! Who knows, in this room we may have the future president of the ECB – if you would like that job!! Despite this trepidation I would like to share with you a couple of thoughts on where we as a country are going – and what that might mean for you! (Sounds like a threat but I promise it’s not!)

Let’s face it, the good times were good! And while there are many areas that still need improvement in today’s Ireland, we also need to look at what was achieved during these good years. Walking around the new and improved campus of UCC today is a great example of the investment that was made in education, taking the now easy journey from Dublin to Cork on a completed motorway is certainly a vast improvement on the infrastructure side of things, and seeing very successful multinational companies across numerous industries operating here in Cork and around Ireland is a sign of how this country has established itself as a first rate business location.
 
But I guess all good things come to an end. But what I don’t want to do is drone on about the challenges this country has, instead I want to focus on the positives that Ireland can build on to ensure that the country gets on a level footing again. The first thing is we’ve been through bad times before – you, no doubt, do not remember them personally but may well have seen the images of the last recession on ‘Reeling in the Years’! What does this say to me? Well I think it proves that us Irish are pretty resilient, we’ve been through bad times before and we’ve gotten through them. Look at all we’ve achieved since the 80s. And I firmly believe Ireland can do that again.

You know when I left school in 1984, only 15 people from my year remained in Cork – the vast majority emigrated and sought to embark on their careers elsewhere. I was lucky and went on to commence a training contract with Deloitte while others were forced to cast their net further afield. But that trend has reversed and I now see many of those people back in Cork and actively involved in the business community here. My experience has shown me that trends are nearly always reversed and that is part of what we are seeing in today’s business environment.

To give you some more examples of trends being reversed – our balance of payments has a real chance of being in surplus by the end of the year; our labour costs and business costs, which have been too high in recent years and seemed to be forever on the rise are falling and becoming somewhat more aligned with our EU counterpoints. And these are trends to be welcomed as they are starting points for Ireland pulling itself up by the bootstraps and getting back o an even keel.

These reversals are not enough to get Ireland back on the up – it will be how businesses and people running those businesses respond to them. I firmly believe that we need to be agile – take note of the changing environment and adapt the strategies used accordingly. Businesses and countries alike across the world are doing this – and here in Ireland we are no exception to the rule. Our response and how agile we can be in adapting to the changes that we are faced with will determine how successful our future will be.

I would also encourage you to be agile as you decide where you will now go on your career path. Perhaps the path you wished to take straight after college has a temporary diversion around it, but I would encourage you to open your eyes to all the opportunities that exist – and they do exist. For a country of our size we have always batted above our weight so to speak. The number of Irish people in powerful European or global positions always makes me proud. That potential is in this room, it is the quality of our graduates that ensure there will always be opportunities for Irish people both at home and abroad. You now need to be open to all of these opportunities.

You know, the Global Irish Economic Forum, will be taking place in the Phoenix Park next week. The aim of the conference is to tap into the skills of the Irish diaspora and produce a blueprint on how Ireland should be moving forward. It’s interesting that such weight is being put on the knowledge, ideas and experiences of Irish people, be they based here or abroad – but it is also testament to the strength, commitment and ability of our Irish people. I would encourage you to look at these people and see what you too can learn from them at this stage in your career.
 
You may have noticed that I mentioned earlier about putting Ireland on a level footing – I don’t think we will see the excessiveness of the Celtic Tiger here again. Hopefully we are all a little bit wiser now and see that this just was not sustainable. But how would I describe my mood when I think of the future for us here in Ireland? Confident but realistic just about covers it I would say. I am confident that Ireland will once again enjoy a very successful economy but realistic that it will take hard work to both get back on track and maintain this success. Oh, I would also add in a good old dollop of optimism as well – through my work with my various clients in Deloitte and through my work with the Cork Chamber of Commerce, I see businesses and organisations make the necessary decisions every day to ensure they are putting their best foot forward. It is this commitment and hard work which will see Ireland right.
 
I am also optimistic looking around this room – which is full of potential. Potential to ensure Cork and Ireland have a successful future to look forward to, potential for Ireland to really make a mark on the global scene. For that I thank both yourselves and the various faculties here at UCC who have enabled you to be in this position today. I also thank your friends, families, guardians and all those who have no doubt had to listen to you moan about assignment deadlines and upcoming exams on more than one occasion!

What would I like you to leave here today thinking? Well I would like you to believe that, while we may not see the heady days of the Celtic Tiger in Ireland again, every person in this room has the potential and opportunity to carve out successful and fruitful careers. There may be a little bit of hard work along the way but remember this is no bad thing. Success awaits you – and I look forward to perhaps bumping into you along the way.

Congratulations once more and thank you.

ENDS


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