President Mary McAleese was today conferred with an honorary degree at New Zealand's oldest university as her state visit draws to a close.
Mrs McAleese was awarded a Doctor of Laws from the University of Otago, Dunedin - the first Irish person to receive such an honour.
The President is leading a 41-member business and tourism delegation that includes Minister for Education Mary Hanafin on a six-day state visit to the country. She praised the university which has the country's only Irish studies department.
"Your Irish Studies programme, the only such undergraduate programme in New Zealand, offers students a marvellous opportunity to explore the Irish heritage of New Zealand and to learn more about another one of the contemporary world's most exciting, dynamic islands, a place with a story of success on two fronts.
"The establishment here of the Eamon Cleary Chair of Irish Studies will add a vital new layer of scholarly access, research and curiosity which will be yet another bridge between Ireland and New Zealand and between our peoples."
Included in the trip were ceremonies marking the contribution of Irish immigrants to the country and the heroism of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean.