UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING
Friday, 7 December 2018 at 6 pm
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR JOE CARTHY on 7 December 2018, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa on FR TONY COOTE
The honorary doctorate is awarded to distinguished individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the university and society.
Tony Coote clearly fulfils these criteria. Before I proceed, even though this is a very formal occasion, I will use the name Tony, which he prefers, for the rest of this citation.
I will also pose the question “Who claims Tony Coote”. Obviously, his family have first claim, and we are delighted that his mother Pat, brothers Pat and Kieran and their families are with us this evening. But as the Cootes well know, others also have their claims on Tony!
Tony entered the priesthood in the dioceses of Dublin over 30 years ago. On ordination, his first assignment was as chaplain in Ballymun Comprehensive School, where he is remembered for his kindness and outstanding service to all. This is best illustrated by one of many examples.
A good student was considering dropping out of school. Tony said “we have to do something”. Tony called to his house and persuaded him to return school, where he kept a supportive eye on him. With Tony’s help, he managed to complete his leaving cert. But the story doesn’t end there.
This student went on to study medicine. He is now a hospital consultant and university professor. He attributes all of his success to Tony Coote.
Tony left a legacy of such examples in Ballymun and consequently the Ballymun community claim Tony Coote as their man.
For the past 10 years, Tony has served as PP in Mt Merrion. He has attained a near sainthood status in the parish, again, for his outstanding service and his legendary short but thought provoking sermons.
The parishioners of Mt Merrion claim Tony Coote as “their man.”
After several years in Ballymun, Tony was transferred to UCD in September 2000. He was Chaplain to more than 3500 students and 500 staff in Science, Agricultural Science and Architecture until August 2008.
In this role, he had to deal with some very difficult characters - all of them staff members !
He quickly established himself as dedicated colleague supporting the pastoral needs of everyone he encountered during that time and was much loved by the students.
But Tony never settled for just doing the job well. This is best illustrated by two examples.
Firstly, Tony attended the very sad funeral in Derry of a young first year student who died by suicide. On the journey home, Tony said “we have to do something”. He was silent for the rest of the trip back to UCD - something very rare for Tony!
Within days Tony launched a new campaign called “Please talk” with the by-line “it’s a sign of strength”.
By the end of that year, the Please Talk campaign had been taken up by all third level institutions in Ireland. Years later, this campaign stills runs.
Tens of thousands of students have seen this encouraging message and we’ll never be able to measure its positive effects.
The second example also highlights another initiative at scale, that has become one of UCD’s proudest endeavours. Tony always recognised the goodness, energy and desire to help, of so many students. At the same time he was critically aware of the dire needs of the developing world. Tony again thought, “we have to do something”.
Tony realised that the potential of our students could be used to address developing world issues. He established UCD Volunteers Overseas, better known as UCDVO. This involved organising groups of student volunteers to undertake real projects among the poorest of the poor.
UCDVO students have worked with communities in India, Haiti, Nicaragua, Tanzania and Uganda. They have been involved in projects ranging from environmental, educational, healthcare, construction and computer literacy.
Over 1500 students have travelled with UCDVO to date and it is now a permanent UCD initiative. They have made a difference to the lives of individuals wherever they’ve gone.
And of course their own lives have been influenced by their experiences of working on these life changing projects. Indeed some VOs found their soul mates among their fellow VO travellers and at least 2 marriages have ensued that Tony has presided over. It’s great that so many VOs could be present with us this evening.
The UCDVO teams are always accompanied by staff and adult volunteers and I’m pleased that some of them are here tonight including our MC Professor Frank Monahan, Aoife Fitzgerald, Caroline Mangan, Maura McGinn, Ros & Pat McFeely,. I know that all of them would attest to how their lives have been enriched by the UCDVO experience.
It is for contributions such as Please Talk and UCDVO, as well as looking after our students and our staff in such an exemplary manner, that we honour Tony this evening
It would be remiss of me not to mention Tony‘s most recent initiative, Walk While You Can, WWYC.
In March of this year Tony was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He quickly found out firstly that there were only three nurses to look after the near 400 patients living with motor neurone disease in Ireland and secondly that research funding into MND causes and treatments is badly needed.
I should stress that Tony’s big concern was for the care of those with MND who did not have the access to the resources and supports that he had, from his parish, diocese, and his many friends.
In typical Tony fashion, yet again, he said we have to do something. Within a few weeks of his diagnosis, he came up with the WWYC campaign - to walk the length of Ireland, from Letterkenny to Ballydehob. The purpose was to raise awareness of MND and to raise funds for the two motor neurone disease charities, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, IMNDA, and Research Motor Neurone, RMN.
The walk started on July 10 and finished in Ballydehob on August 6 of this year. Many have you will have seen the powerful RTE documentary Walk the Walk, which will be an inspiration to all who watch it. For the entire duration of the walk, Tony was pushed in his green mountain trike chair. What was not obvious from the documentary was just how uncomfortable that chair was, because Tony simply smiled and joked throughout the entire journey.
Along the way, in Tubbercurry, there was what Ryan Tubridy called the “chair gate” incident. This was when the strong medical advice was to switch to a more comfortable chair, a large Mercedes Benz type pushchair, and to avoid at all costs, Tony’s preferred small electric chair, the Nissan Micra of chairs.
As you can see, Tony continues to zip around in his Nissan Micra! So you know who won that debate!
On a serious note, Tony made a telling comment at the time, that’s worth remembering, “It’s very important to treat the whole person and not just the illness”. This is a creed that Tony has lived his whole life by, treating all he meets in a holistic manner, regardless of their circumstances.
During the walk Tony met many people living with motor neurone disease and other illnesses. He ministered to them, as only he can, and they in their turn supported him, in a very moving way.
The campaign attracted lots of media attention for motor neurone disease, all along the route. Supporters from his communities: Ballymun, UCD and Mt Merrion came out in force to walk with Tony. It became a remarkable journey of peace, joy and great craic. It forged a new WWYC community of people who had never met before but were united in common cause. This is what Tony does – he builds communities.
WWYC also generated a variety of side events such as coffee morings, bridge competitions, table quizzes, Sing while you can, Trad while you can, and Dance while you can. If we were in the UK, I suspect, Tony, being always inclusive, would have had Brexit while you can and Remain while you can
Tony set out with the goal of raising €250,000. To date, over €560,000 has been raised.
This funding has enabled Research Motor Neuron to take on an experienced researcher to support their work and I’m thrilled to let you know that the IMNDA announced today that this funding has allowed it to recruit an extra nurse to support those living with MND.
Yet another amazing achievement we can chalk down to Tony’s imagination and leadership.
I am also very pleased to tell you that, in typical Tony fashion, WWYC is not a once off initiative and plans are already afoot for WWYC 2019, so watch this space.
I posed the question earlier, “Who claims Tony Coote” and tonight we in UCD are very proud to assert our claim: Dr Coote you are a UCD man forever and we are privileged to claim you.
However, it’s obviously the wrong question. The real question is “Who did Tony give himself to ?”
The answers are pretty obvious, to his beloved family, as a priest he has given his life to God and continues to inspire, believers and non-believers alike, with how he lives out his Catholic faith in such trying circumstances.
But more generally, Tony has always given his life to support those in need, in communities in Ballymun, in UCD, in Mt Merrion, Ireland, Haiti, India and many other places.
It’s a reality that many people, who have never heard of Tony are benefitting from his selfless giving.
The refrain from a well known hymn, sums it up: “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est” - “Where ever charity and love are present, God is present” - Tony has brought that presence to every community he has worked in.
To conclude:
The honorary doctorate is awarded to distinguished individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the university and society.
UCD is honoured and privileged to recognise Tony’s outstanding contributions by awarding this Honorary Doctorate.
Thank you, Dr Coote.
The ceremony now proceeds with the Latin presentation of Tony for the conferring of the doctorate:
Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hunc meum filium, quem scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneum esse qui admittatur, honoris causa, ad Gradum Doctoratus Scientiae; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.