The traditional ceremony honours individuals who have distinguished themselves nationally or internationally, through their scholarship, creativity, public service or contribution to social, cultural, sporting or economic life.
ROBERT LAMB – Composer/Conductor/Arranger/Trombonist
Born in Cork, Robert Lamb is one of the best-known
trombonists in the world today.
As well as pursuing a career as composer, conductor and arranger, he has spent three years with the great band leader Woody Herman, having also played in the bands of Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Charlie Barnet during his time in the USA. He has performed on over 6,000 broadcasts for the BBC, and has made frequent appearances on BBC television, London Weekend TV and all the major European TV stations.
Robert has also performed in over 200 major films for MGM, United Artists, Paramount and numerous British production companies. He has had the privilege of working with many great artists, such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Bing Crosby, Placido Domingo, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Barbra Streisand and many more.
Robert has been a guest conductor and composer with the RTE Orchestra since 1970, and has conducted radio orchestras in London, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and Norway. Since 1982, he has held the position of Director of Jazz Studies at Trinity College of Music in London, and from 1992 to 1996 has been professor of the Contemporary Music Studies at the Detmold Conservatory of Music in Germany.
His major composition “The Children of Lir” has been
recorded and released by NAXOS records, performed by the National Symphony
Orchestra with narration by Fiona Shaw. He has won the Ivor Novello award and
the French Blue Ribbon Award for composition. His most recent accolade was received earlier this year,
when he was awarded America’s Emory Remington Award for excellence for
composition, with a piece of music featuring eight trombones, which was
recorded in Germany. There has
been a film by RTE based on his Dublin City Suite and also a major film on his
life. There are also many records
featuring Robert Lamb as the soloist, arranger and conductor.
Robert Lamb is to be bestowed with a Degree of Doctor of
Music
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE FRANCIS MURPHY
Mr Justice Murphy has had a long and distinguished career
as a member of the Irish Bar. He
was called to the Inner Bar in October 1969 and appointed a Professor of Law in
the Kings Inns the same year. He was
Chairman of the Bar Council in 1974 and 1975, was appointed a Bencher of the
Kings Inns in 1975 and a Judge of the High Court in 1982. He was elevated to
the Irish Supreme Court in 1996 where he served from 1996-2002. During this
time Mr Justice Murphy contributed enormously to the intellectual quality of
judgements from both courts and in particular heard many commercial law cases
during his time on the bench.
Mr Justice Murphy chaired the Ferns enquiry which issued its report, the Ferns Report, in 2005. This was the first significant report on the clerical abuse of children in Ireland. At the time of its publication the then Minister for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan, paid tribute to Mr Justice Murphy and his inquiry group stating in the Seanad (November 2005) that ‘it is accepted on all sides that they have done an excellent job. The report is of a high intellectual quality and is practical and sensible in its conclusions.’ The Minister went on to state that the ‘Government accepts the recommendations of the report in full.’ In light of recent developments regarding the publication of the Ryan Report (chaired by Mr Justice Seán Ryan) and the Murphy Commission (chaired by Ms Justice Yvonne Murphy) on clerical child abuse, the conferring of Mr Justice Francis Murphy which, in part, honours his work in 2005 is appropriate and timely.
Dedicated to a life of public service Mr Justice Murphy
was a Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission, Chairman of the Revenue Powers
Group and Chairman of the Irish Sports Anti-Doping Appeal Panel. He is
currently Chairman of the Board of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations
and Bequests for Ireland, Chairman
of the Residential Institutions Redress Review Committee, and Chairman of the
Financial Services Appeals Tribunal, a body which will be of increasing significance
given the nature of the financial crisis we face.
His Honour Mr Justice Francis Murphy is to be bestowed
with a Degree of Doctor of Laws
NIALL TÓIBÍN, ACTOR, COMEDIAN, AUTHOR, ENTERTAINER
Niall Tóibín has had a distinguished career on stage,
television, radio and in films.
His portrayal of Brendan Behan has received worldwide acclaim. He has taken part in many films,
including Ryan’s Daughter, Far and Away, The Irish RM, Brideshead
Revisited. He is one of the finest
comedians that Ireland has produced and possibly the finest mimic of Irish and
other accents alive today. Niall began training his voice as a child in the
cathedral choir and the Opera House in Cork.
In 1953, Tóibín joined the Radio Eireann Repertory Company and quit his day job at the Civil Service. Tóibín perfected his craft by playing every conceivable role possible during his 14 years in "the Rep" after which he established a distinguished tenure at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. By then, Niall Tóibín was indisputably one of Ireland's greatest actors and was courted by all of the top theatres in the country.
Next Tóibín was cast in a major motion picture and in 1970, his illustrious television career was launched. Equally comfortable with comedy and drama, Tóibín quickly became a staple of British and Irish television with strong ties to RTE, ITN and the BBC.
Between the movies and television, Niall Tóibín has returned again and again to the stage. Tóibín has captivated audiences from London to New York, picking up a Drama Desk award along the way for Outstanding Performance by an Actor on Broadway. Over the years, Tóibín amassed a treasure chest of humorous stories expertly told and impressions brilliantly performed.
Niall Tóibín was a recipient of the Sunday Independent Irish Life special award for "Distinguished Service to the Theatre." In 1996, Tóibín was named Best All Round Entertainer at the International Irish Music Award ceremony in London. He also won the 2001 CFT Excellence Award for Best Actor in a Television Series.
Niall Tóibín has done a great deal to promote the Irish
language which he speaks fluently in several dialects. He is a true son of Cork and is
immensely proud of his heritage.
Niall Tóibín is to be bestowed with a Degree of Doctor of
Arts
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