Clonmel composer Micheal O Suilleabhain to be honoured with Scottish doctorate

Clonmel composer Micheál Ó Súilleabháin will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on 4 July.

The Conservatoire, which celebrates its 170th anniversary this year, is also honouring percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and dancer and Strictly Come Dancing Judge Darcey Bussell at the same ceremony. 

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Conservatoire, said:  "It gives me great pleasure to announce the three outstanding and inspirational individuals in the worlds of music and dance as recipients of our 2017 honorary degrees. 

"It is an honour to welcome Darcey Bussell, Dame Evelyn Glennie and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin to our community and celebrate their exceptional achievements. 

"Our honorary graduands have excelled in their chosen art forms and they embody the values and spirit of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – they are dynamic and creative individuals who have made significant contributions to the cultural landscape.

Ó Súilleabháin was born in Clonmel in 1950, studied at University College Cork with Aloys Fleischmann and Seán Ó Riada, and in Queen’s University Belfast, and holds a number of honorary awards, including a D. Mus from National University of Ireland/University College Cork and an Honorary Alumnus Award from Boston College. 

He is the founder of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, and was its Chair of Music from 1994 until his retirement in late 2016.

He is also a Freeman of his native Clonmel.