Rock star turned Doctor: Bob Geldof awarded honorary doctorate at Trinity
Activist and rock star Bob Geldof was awarded an honorary doctorate at Trinity College earlier today.
He was recognised for his humanitarian and anti-poverty work in Africa and received the Doctor in Laws distinction in a formal presentation.
The Boomtown Rats frontman joked to reporters that he could now represent himself in court whenever he is sued.
"It saves on legal bills, I can just do my own stuff," he said.
He also commented on his life journey remembering eating his lunch at Trinity.
"It’s a long journey from scamming lunch in the Buttery when I was on the dole to doing the Trinity Ball with the band to now getting this."
The nomination for conferring honorary degrees states that individuals must show an outstanding contribution to society and culture.
The award was presented to Mr Geldof by Trinity's chancellor and former president Mary Robinson.
Prof Anna Chahoud said in her speech that Mr Geldof was an "Irish rebel at heart."
Other Honorary Doctorate candidates included global medical researcher Professor Terry Dwyer for his work on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, leading Irish historian Professor Marianne Elliott, and An Taisce environmentalist Patricia Oliver.
