Mayo man awarded honorary doctorate by DCU
Entrepreneur and broadcaster Aine Kerr and New York Times journalist Declan Walsh pictured before their honorary conferring at Dublin City University.
Dublin City University has this week conferred the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) on New York Times journalist Declan Walsh.
The award was presented as part of the University’s Autumn Graduations in The Helix on DCU’s Glasnevin campus.
From Ballina, Co Mayo, Declan Walsh is a journalist and chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times. He joined the NYT in 2011, having previously worked for The Guardian, spending seven years there covering Pakistan and Afghanistan. He began his journalism career at The Business Post. He studied at University College Dublin and Dublin City University.
Reading from his citation, Dr Dawn Wheatley said, “In an era of news avoidance, compassion fatigue, and concerns around the contamination of our information landscape, certain things stand powerful in their enduring importance: truth, evidence, accurate reporting and engaging storytelling matter more than ever. Voices matter. Capturing the human experience has always been a priority in Declan’s reporting.
“For almost 30 years, Declan has mapped the contours of life, suffering, power struggles and injustice in many of the world’s most turbulent political and social landscapes. He has showcased the highest standards of international journalism, demonstrating a professional and personal commitment to capturing voices, stories and realities that may otherwise go untold.”
Speaking before his ceremony, Declan Walsh said, “Returning to DCU for this honour feels like coming full circle. It was here that I learned the craft and purpose of journalism - skills and values that shaped every stage of my career. I’m immensely grateful to the university for this recognition.”
