Enya recently visited the Magee campus to receive the honorary degree of DLitt (Doctor of Letters) in recognition of her services to music and the creative industries. During her visit she had the opportunity to view Magee’s exciting developments in the Creative Industries, a multi-billion pound industry worldwide.

Enya and her party were given presentations and a whirlwind tour of activities in the School of Creative Arts, the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems and the Intelligent Systems Research Centre. In addition, they were briefed on the University’s proposal for a new cross-border Creative Technologies Research Centre for the North West. Enya, a native speaker of Irish, also met 30 Irish language graduates from west Donegal.

The novelist Martin Amis was also conferred with a DLitt (Doctor of Letters) in recognition of his services to literature.

Enya, her producer Nicky Ryan and her lyricist Roma Ryan, who are signed to Warner Music, are preparing their biography in film and book form and it is likely that footage from the Magee visit and graduation will be featured.

Professor Jim Allen said: “There is a scientific and entrepreneurial wealth of synergy to be obtained by bringing together electronic and software technologies with the Arts. The North West of Ireland and the Magee campus are particularly well-placed for developments in the Creative Industries, having the necessary academic ingredients and natural creative backgrounds. This will be manifested in the proposed interdisciplinary Creative Technologies Research Centre which will stimulate continued wealth generation in the North West.”

During her visit, Enya said: “This morning, during a visit to the Magee campus, I was very impressed to hear of the exciting developments in new technologies and creative arts… my message for the graduates of today is, to think of ways of bringing together concepts from different subjects to create new ideas and products.”

University of Ulster Inside: 24 Oct 2007