National University of Ireland Awards an Honorary Doctorate to Maurice Manning

On November 6, the NUI awarded Maurice Manning an Honorary Doctorate (LLD) in Higher education, public service, politics and public discourse.  SPIRe Professor, David Farrell was invited to ‘introduce’ Maurice at his conferral.

Appointed to UCD in 1966, Maurice was one of the founding members of the then Department of Ethics and Politics, where he taught until his election to the Dáil in 1981. At UCD he played a key role in the establishment of the Department, putting a stamp on the teaching programme of this new UCD venture, and in so doing making an important contribution to the growth of political science as a discipline in Ireland.  His academic output was notable, including: the definitive text on The Blueshirts, the first scholarly study of Irish Political Parties, an exhaustive study of Electricity Supply in Ireland, and his magisterial biography of James Dillon. But it was as a teacher that he will be most fondly remembered. In his comments at the ceremony, David noted that ‘he was a highly popular lecturer and tutor. Everyone loved Maurice.  He was the most humane of lecturers: always approachable, and with a sympathetic ear’.

Maurice’s political career included six years in the Dáil, followed by 15 years in the Seanad where he served both as Leader of the House and also as Leader of the Opposition, and played a key role in the passage of important legislation, perhaps most notably the 1997 Universities Act. His many other recent roles have included, most significantly, as Chancellor of the NUI, from 2009-24.