TU Dublin’s Dr Eamon Maher Receives France’s Highest Academic Honour

Published: Tuesday 26 May 2026 - 14:02

TU Dublin is delighted to announce that our colleague, Dr Eamon Maher, Lecturer in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Joint Principal Investigator of the TU Dublin Centre for Irish Studies, was honoured by the French Government on Monday in recognition of his outstanding contribution to academia and to Franco-Irish relations.

At a ceremony held at the French Ambassador’s Residence in Dublin, Dr Maher was elevated to the rank of Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French Ambassador to Ireland, Céline Place.

In her address, Ambassador Place highlighted Eamon’s significant contribution to Franco-Irish relations, his distinguished scholarship through publications and research supervision, and his remarkable commitment to promoting French language and culture in Ireland. The Ambassador noted that the rank of Commandeur is the highest academic distinction that can be conferred, adding that she could think of no more deserving recipient than Eamon.

The ceremony took place in the beautiful surroundings of the Ambassador’s residence in warm evening sunshine and was attended by a number of Eamon’s colleagues from TU Dublin, past and present, including TU Dublin President Dr Deirdre Lillis and Interim Chair of the Governing Body, Eoin O’Shea.