DCU Professor honoured for significant contributions to science and music

Professor Dermot Diamond has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (DLitt) from the University of Ulster for his services to science and influential role in traditional Irish music.

Dermot is Director of the National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) at DCU and is a Principal Investigator with the INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics, the largest research centre supported by SFI. His extensive scientific work has been internationally recognised. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, is a named inventor in 19 patents, and has co-authored/edited five books.

Growing up in Belfast, Dermot developed a passion for traditional music, specialising in Irish and American fiddle music. His diverse repertoire and style continue to influence and inspire within the traditional music community. He is a regular contributor to radio and TV programmes and he has toured with well-known artists, including Dolores Keane, John Faulkner and Paddy Keenan.

The centrality of family within traditional Irish music is epitomised in Dermot’s artistic practice and he regularly collaborates with his son, Danny, and daughter, Helen, who are noted fiddle players/singers and his wife, Tara, who is a renowned traditional flautist.

In terms of collecting, preserving and making traditional music accessible, Dermot is a board member of the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA); the world’s largest repository of Irish music, where he is responsible for advising on the digitisation of materials held.

On receiving this honour, Dermot said: “I would like to thank Ulster University for bestowing an honorary degree on me in recognition of my career in science and music. I am very grateful to my colleagues at Dublin City University, and particularly the INSIGHT Centre, and the National Centre for Sensor Research, who have shown me continual support for many years. I am very fortunate to be part of a remarkable family, Tara, Helen, Danny and Anna, all of whom share my love of music. My heartfelt congratulations to the graduates of 2018 - I wish you every success in your future endeavours.”