UCD School of Sociology

Scoil na Socheolaíochta UCD

School of Sociology’s Tribute to former colleague, Dr. Mary Kelly

Dr. Mary Kelly from the School of Sociology died earlier this year, within a few months of her retirement. During her 34 year career at UCD Mary was an outstanding teacher, a distinguished researcher and a wonderful colleague. She published widely over several fields in sociology, initially in the area of media studies and most recently in environmental sociology. Her last book was Environmental Debates and the Public in Ireland (Dublin: Institute of Public Administration, 2007). While at UCD Mary developed the first taught masters programme in sociology in Ireland and was a dedicated supervisor of doctoral students. She served as Head of School from 1999 to 2003. She was a founding member of the Centre for Equality Studies at UCD. She had a strong interest in comparative research and was a prominent member of the Euromedia Group.

In recognition of her deep concern about the environment Mary’s colleagues in the School marked her contribution to UCD and to Irish Sociology by planting a tree in her memory and placed a bench beside it. The tree and bench are located behind the Newman Building in the Birch Walk which is part of the university’s Boundary Woodland Walk. On Thursday 18th November 2010 Mary’s colleagues were joined by members of her family and friends to mark this occasion. The tree was planted by Sean Kelly, Mary's son, and Professor Pat Clancy.

With the support of the College of Human Sciences, next Autumn, an Ad Astra PhD Fellowship in the area of Environment Sociology will be offered in her memory and the Mary Kelly Medal will be instituted, to be awarded annually to the student with the best Masters dissertation in Sociology.