UCD pay tribute to President Hillery

University College Dublin will pay tribute to the late President of Ireland, Dr Patrick J Hillery when a lecture theatre is named in his honour this Thursday.
Dr Hillery, who died on April 12, 2008, his former Fianna Fáil ministerial colleague Dr James Ryan and Kathleen Lynn, who commanded City Hall during the Easter Rising and founded St Ultan’s Hospital in 1919, will have separate lecture theatres named in their memory.
Dr Hillery graduated from UCD with a degree in medicine in 1947. The Spanish Point man was a TD, government minister and Ireland’s first European Commissioner before serving two terms as President of Ireland up to 1990.
His son, John, said it was a great honour for the family to have a national facility named in his honour.
“It is a great tribute to him to be honoured in this way. Paddy was a great student and he left UCD with the aim of returning as a GP to West Clare. He never got a chance to fulfil this lifelong ambition once he became involved in politics. Having secured a Dáil seat in 1951, he was going up to Dublin to tell Sean Lemass about his intention to leave politics when Lemass made him a minister,” he said.
The Hillery family has a strong connection with UCD as John, who is a consultant psychiatrist, was involved in the establishment of new disability research centre in the college about 20 years ago.
It provides courses for frontline medical staff involved in the delivery of services for disabilities, extensive research facilities and training for people with disabilities who can also participate in new research.
The only other building commemorating Dr Hillery’s achievements is the library in Miltown Malbay, which was re-named the Dr Patrick Hillery Library in 2003 when he officiated at the official opening.