Posted 01 October 2010
President Bill Clinton awarded UCD Ulysses Medal
UCD students meet former US President at University College Dublin
42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, was presented with the Ulysses Medal by the President of University College Dublin, Dr Hugh Brady, in recognition for his ongoing commitment and contribution to the peace and prosperity of this island and to the elimination of poverty, disease and suffering worldwide.
Highlights from former US President Bill Clinton's address at University College Dublin, with introductions by Prof Liam Kennedy, UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies and Dr Hugh Brady, President of UCD:
Pictured far right: 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, was presented with the Ulysses Medal by the President of University College Dublin, Dr Hugh Brady
Speaking at the UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies, Dr Brady told an audience of students, “To say that Ireland owes a debt of gratitude to President Bill Clinton would be a supreme understatement. At a time when many other political leaders would have taken the safer option, President Clinton applied his prodigious political acumen, courage, patience, personality and vision to the Peace Process in Northern Ireland and played a pivotal role in the resolution of a violent conflict that had plagued our island for decades.”
President Clinton addressed the students and spent time answering their questions on the growing threat to the Northern Ireland peace process from dissident republicans, US intervention in the Balkans in the 1990s, globalisation and its impact on the US as well as on Ireland.
He discussed the prospective balance of power in the US in the run up to the mid-term elections as the Republicans could take control of the House of Representatives as well as the Senate.
President Clinton also spoke about the changing nature of the Irish Diaspora in the US and the need for Ireland to remain engaged with Irish-America in order to maintain economic as well as social and political ties.
The UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies was established by the Irish Government in honour of the 42nd President of the United States, President William Jefferson Clinton, in recognition of his own crucial and personal role, as well as those of the United States Government, Congress and people, in the Irish Peace Process.
“The Institute attracts students, academics and policy makers from Ireland, the US and the EU. It provides post graduate teaching and research in the fields of US foreign policy and diplomacy, media and conflict, and American history and culture.” Explained UCD Professor of American Studies, Liam Kennedy, the Director of the Institute.
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (UCD) is Ireland’s largest research-intensive university. It was founded in 1854 as The Catholic University of Ireland by the recently beatified John Henry Newman who lectures and essays make up the classic work The Idea of a University.
Today UCD has 25,000 students including 6,000 postgraduates, 2,000 PhD students and 6,000 international students drawn from over 100 countries.
The University has played an important role in the shaping of the modern Irish State. UCD’s graduates include important Irish literary figures such as James Joyce, Flann O’Brien and Roddy Doyle, stars of film, stage and TV such as Neil Jordan, Gabriel Byrne, Jim Sheridan, Brendan Gleeson and Dara O’Briain, sports stars such as Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Fergus Slattery, business leaders such as telecoms entrepreneur Denis O’Brien, and numerous ministers, prime ministers and presidents of Ireland including almost half of the current Irish cabinet.
The University is the most popular choice for Irish students, leads the nation in research funding and has undergone a recent rapid rise up the international university rankings – placed 94 in the world in the recent Times Higher Education – Thompson Reuters World Rankings.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
