Actor Olwen Fouéré has become the second person to turn down an honorary doctorate from the University of Galway, in protest of the links it has with an Israeli institution.
Earlier this week, film-maker Margo Harkin withdrew from tomorrow's ceremony, at which a number of others will be recognised for their contributions to the arts and public life.
Both women said they have taken the "difficult" decision over their opposition to the university’s research links with Israel’s Technion Institute of Technology.
The acclaimed actor and director was due to receive a Doctor of Arts for her "international career spanning theatre, film and television".
In a statement, Ms Fouéré said she was "overjoyed to be offered an honorary doctorate" but had decided to refuse the award, because of her opposition to the links the university has with the Haifa based institution.
In September, the university said contractual obligations meant it could not back out of the ASTERISK research project, which is looking at ways to produce hydrogen from seawater. It is co-funded by the EU.
The Technion Institute is one of a number of third-level institutions involved.
The agreement has been criticised by human rights campaigners, given Israeli actions in Gaza and Technion’s role in developing what it terms "defence and security technologies".
Ms Fouéré said: "The research partnership with the Technion Institute of Technology is extremely problematic."
She was also critical that demands from University of Galway staff, researchers, students to end the contract had been met with "avoidance, delay and legal obfuscation".
Aosdána member and activist Margaretta D’Arcy, who died earlier this week, and film-maker Lelia Doolan recently returned honorary doctorates to the university in protest over the research links.
Other recipients of the honorary doctorates this week include artist Brian Bourke, novelist and translator Anna Heussaff, harpist Kathleen Loughnane, former advocacy manager and deputy general secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha, historian Professor Kerby A Miller, business leader Pádraig Ó Céidigh and poet and singer Micheál Ó Cuaig.
