Is that Sir Bob Geldof, Dr Bob Geldof or Dr Sir Bob Geldof?

Rock star and activist Bob Geldof was awarded an honorary doctorate by Trinity College today.

Mr Geldof received the Doctor in Laws distinction today in a formal presentation at the college. The often outspoken singer joked to reporters that he could now represent himself in court whenever he is sued.

“It saves on legal bills. From now on, I can just do my own stuff,” he said.

“It’s a long journey from scamming lunch in [in Trinity’s restaurant ]the Buttery when I was on the dole to doing the Trinity Ball with the band to now getting this.”

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The nomination process for conferring honorary degrees, states that individuals must show an “outstanding contribution to scholarship, society, culture and/or civil society”.

The doctorate is to honour the Boomtown Rats lead singer for his charity work with the supergroup Band Aid which Mr Geldof set up with Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. It will also recognize his work in organising the Live Aid concert in 1985 which raised about £30 million for famine relief in Africa.

The award was made by the chancellor of the university, former president Mary Robinson.

Irish rebel

At the ceremony, Prof Anna Chahoud said in her oration Geldof was an “Irish rebel at heart”.

“So here you are, Robert Frederick ‘Bob’ Geldof, KBE, man of peace and Irish rebel at heart, still on your long journey to justice. How many fellow travelers you’ve acquired along the way, how many battles you’ve won against all odds, how many lives you’ve saved.”

Trinity also awarded honorary doctorates to four other leaders in their field. Historian Prof Marianne Elliott received a Doctorate in Letters for her work establishing the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool.

Australian medical researcher, Professor Terence Dwyer, was made a doctor in science for his work on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Professor James P Smith, one of the first scientists to discover strong associations between childhood mental health and adult economic outcomes, was also awarded a Doctorate in Science.

Environmentalist Patricia Oliver, who worked as a volunteer with An Taisce and other environmental initiatives for over 40 years, was also conferred with a Doctorate in Laws. She is the founder and director of An Taisce's Environmental Education Unit.