A CAPUCHIN friar and a scientist have been awarded honorary life membership of the Royal Dublin Society.
The RDS yesterday honoured Prof David McConnell of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin and Br Kevin Crowley, who works with homeless and marginalised people in Dublin.
Br Crowley, from west Cork, was recognised for “his contribution and commitment to relieve the hardship endured by homeless people”.
He founded the Capuchin Day Centre on Dublin’s Bow Street in the early 1970s. The centre offers food, shelter and companionship to homeless people and has seen a major increase in demand for its services in recent months. It provides some 3,000 hot meals in Dublin every week for homeless and needy people.
Prof McConnell, who is chairman of The Irish Times Trust, was cited for “his pioneering work in the development of molecular genetics and genetic engineering in Ireland”.
He has participated in several EC biotechnology programmes and has collaborated with ICI, Guinness, Schering Plough, Biocon, BP and NovoNordisk in various biotechnology projects.
He led the development of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin and was a founding participant in the Yeast Genome Project. He has also advised the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation on many projects.
He was a member of the steering group which prepared the successful bid for Dublin’s selection as the European City of Science in 2012.
In 1981, the RDS began conferring honorary life membership on people who had made a significant contribution to Ireland and Irish life. Past recipients of the award include Samuel Beckett, Ronnie Delany, Seamus Heaney and Louis Le Brocquy.
The Royal Dublin Society was founded in 1731 to promote and develop agriculture, arts, science and industry in Ireland.
