{"id":16110,"date":"2015-11-17T12:37:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-17T12:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=16110"},"modified":"2015-11-17T12:37:51","modified_gmt":"2015-11-17T12:37:51","slug":"rugby-legend-paul-oconnell-honoured-with-ul-doctorate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/rugby-legend-paul-oconnell-honoured-with-ul-doctorate\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby legend Paul O\u2019Connell honoured with UL Doctorate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Paul O\u2019Connell with UL President, Professor Don Barry at Plassey House. Photo: Marisa Kennedy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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By Cora Power and Marisa Kennedy<\/p>\n

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Paul O\u2019Connell was \u201cdelighted but a little embarrassed\u201d to be honoured with a\u00a0 Doctorate of Science from the University of Limerick earlier this month.<\/p>\n

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For three years O\u2019Connell studied Computer Engineering in UL and he said that not finishing his degree is one of his \u201cbiggest regrets\u201d.<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Connell is the 100th<\/sup> recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the university since 1990 alongside the likes of Seamus Heaney, John B Keane and John Hume.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of the award, the former Irish captain said: \u201cto get appreciated by your home university is something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen you grow up in Limerick, close to the city or whatever, the university ends up being a big part of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Connell first came to UL at the age of four to swim, training 12 times a week in what was the 33-metre pool during the 80\u2019s.<\/p>\n

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He admitted that he had used \u201cabsolutely every facility on the campus in a sporting sense\u201d before ever coming here to study.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you grow up in Limerick and come here as a student, chances are you\u2019ll have seen every square foot of the place before you set foot in the door. I don\u2019t think many world class campuses could boast that they play such a big role in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As well as swimming, the Limerick man took part in hurling, soccer, camping and debating here on campus both before and during his time studying in UL.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s so great about it. UL ends up being every Limerick boy\u2019s playground and that\u2019s probably the biggest compliment I could give to the university\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Speaking about the recipient, Professor Don Barry said: \u201cThe awarding of a University of Limerick Honorary Doctorate is an occasion when we get the opportunity to honour those who have inspired, who have led with courage and passion and who have made great contributions in their fields of endeavour.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMuch thought, consideration and deliberation goes into deciding who is worthy\u2026 except when it is a real-life super hero, and particularly when his name is Paul O\u2019 Connell.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The former Munster player refused to rule out returning to the university to finish his degree.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think about it a lot. It\u2019s a big regret of mine, not finishing my degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

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While his schedule is hectic at the moment, he admitted that he has spoken to the university in the past about a possible return.<\/p>\n

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Balancing a young family, rugby, an injury and a new life in France has not been easy for O\u2019Connell and he plans to focus on that for the time being.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI probably have 18 months left of playing rugby and then I\u2019ll want to take a break for a while. Who knows, I could end up back here as a student again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As a role model to his two young children, Paddy (5) and Lola (1)\u00a0 O\u2019Connell appreciates the values that sport can teach, hurling and rugby in particular.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPaddy\u2019s really into soccer at the moment and I sit down and watch it with him sometimes. I can\u2019t stand it, I can\u2019t handle watching people diving constantly,\u201d he said playfully.\u00a0 \u201cThose aren\u2019t the values I want Paddy to have.\u201d<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Connell believes sports such as rugby and hurling have great displays of sportsmanship where you, \u201ccongratulate your opponent if he hits you with a good tackle,\u201d but insists he won\u2019t be forcing his son into playing rugby.<\/p>\n

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Ahead of his impending move to Toulon, O\u2019Connell spoke about the life-changing experiences his family will encounter.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m just looking forward to all the experiences and all the knowledge it\u2019s going to bring me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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With such little time left in his playing career, the Irish legend stated that he is taking every opportunity that is coming his way.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen the time comes to move on, you have to move on…you\u2019ve got to make the most of where you\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n

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When asked whether he will miss playing rugby with Munster and Ireland, O\u2019Connell said that he will envy the players but we won\u2019t watch their games with regret.<\/p>\n

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Being a true Limerick man, the city will always be close to his heart and despite moving abroad, O\u2019Connell declared: \u201cLimerick will always be my home and it will always be somewhere I\u2019ll come back to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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  By Cora Power and Marisa Kennedy   Paul O\u2019Connell was \u201cdelighted but a little embarrassed\u201d to be honoured with a\u00a0 Doctorate of Science from the University of Limerick earlier this month.   For three years O\u2019Connell studied Computer Engineering in UL and he said that not finishing his degree is one of his \u201cbiggest […]<\/p>\n

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