Terry Prone: UL honour mitigates the shame of being a dropout

'It’s generally considered naff to deploy an honorary doctorate. So I won’t, after today'

Terry Prone who received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Limerick. Picture: True Media.

When the president of the University of Limerick telephoned from America, it was a surprise. The chancellor and governing body of the university had resolved to confer on me their highest honour, a Doctorate of Letters, she stated, and waited for my reaction. I couldn’t work out how to respond.

“Why?” seemed ungrateful. “Jasus!” seemed inappropriate. I went with inappropriate. Kerstin Mey sounded baffled but amused. Her people would be in touch with me, she promised, to take care of the details.