The University of Ulster has conferred honorary doctorates on the chairman of The Irish Times Trust Ltd, Major T.B. McDowell, and the leading Scottish actor Ewan McGregor.
Major McDowell, who is also a former chairman and chief executive of The Irish Times Ltd, was presented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters at a graduation ceremony in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, yesterday afternoon.
Prof John Wilson, who made the presentation speech, said The Irish Times had become "a national institution, renowned for high journalistic standards, and acknowledged as Ireland's leading journal of opinion and information, while at the same time including quality foreign news through a network of its own correspondents.
"The economic constraints of the 1960s and the oil crisis of the 1970s brought the threat of closure to the door of The Irish Times, and at these troubled times it was Major McDowell who played the leading role in averting this; he provided the resources to successive editors of The Irish Times, enabling them to develop the paper for the whole island of Ireland. This they have done with great success," Prof Wilson said.
"Through Major McDowell's establishment and leadership of an independent Irish Times Trust in 1974, he ensured that The Irish Times was freed from commercial, political or other pressures, and he has guaranteed that The Irish Times, in its coverage, North and South, will continue to represent fairly and even-handedly the various traditions of Ireland," said Prof Wilson, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences and Education.
"The university is proud today to honour Major McDowell for his work for The Irish Times, with its contribution to journalism and reportage, and for his outstanding contribution to the newspaper industry in Ireland," he said.
The doctorate was presented by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Gerry McKenna.
Major McDowell gave the university's newest alumni some advice. They should weigh decisions up carefully and independently, he said, and then stick to their decisions. "You must have the integrity to stand by the decision and not be swayed by a popular or politically correct line," he said.
Major McDowell said those on whom degrees and diplomas had been conferred would be constantly learning. "The challenge is to remain open, flexible and adaptable and to take on the changes that are inevitable," he said.
Mr McGregor is probably best known for his role as the young Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: the Phantom Menace. He has also starred in Trainspotting, Shallow Grave and Nora, in which he played James Joyce.
He told the graduates he was embarrassed to be receiving his doctorate "having not spent one late night studying. I haven't written thousands and thousands of words on any subject, in my life."
Mr McGregor also told the graduates that the most important thing in life was to be passionate and driven. He said he had made some films which could, at best, be kindly referred to as unsuccessful, but even so, he added, "If things seem bad, you are probably learning a lot about yourself and how to go on for future success".
Meanwhile, at Queen's University, Dr John Dunlop, the former moderator of the Presbyterian Church, was made an honorary Doctor of Laws. Today the University of Ulster will confer the same honour on him.