27 September 2024

Posthumous master’s degree awarded to family of Tuskar Rock air crash victim

At a special awards ceremony in University College Cork (UCC) last week, the family of Michael Cowhig, a victim of the Tuskar Rock air crash in 1968 and former employee of the Agricultural Research Institute at Moorepark, Fermoy – now Teagasc, accepted a posthumous master’s degree.

Some 56 years ago, the process of awarding the master’s degree for Michael’s work on milking machine performance ended following his tragic death.

The family of Michael Cowhig attended a special ceremony on the campus where a Masters degree, awarded posthumously for his work. Michael was a victim of the Tuskar Rock air crash in 1968. He had submitted a thesis for a Masters to UCC towards a Masters qualification shortly before the crash. Pictured at the ceremony were Kathleen Anglin and Cowhig children David, Mary, Michael and William. Pic Da

Pictured at the ceremony were Kathleen Anglin and Cowhig children David, Mary, Michael and William. Picture credit: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Michael, a native of Kilbrittain, Co. Cork, and colleagues John F. Nyhan and Thomas P. Dwane were travelling to England to attend a conference in Reading when Aer Lingus Flight 712 crashed en route from Cork to London on 24 March 1968. The crash, which took place in the sea off Tuskar Rock, Co. Wexford, claimed the lives of all 61 passengers and crew on board. Michael and his colleagues were to share their research into milking machine practice at the conference.

Michael had submitted a thesis to University College Cork towards a master’s qualification shortly before the crash and the Cowhig family recently approached UCC to ask that his work be reviewed for consideration. The Cowhig family were prompted to approach UCC by a memoir by Michael’s supervisor, retired Professor and former MEP Tom Raftery, which stated that the thesis had in fact been approved at the time for the award of master’s.

Professor Alan Kelly, head of UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, subsequently reviewed Mr Cowhig’s thesis entitled: ‘A study of the milking performance of eight milking machines’, and recommended the University recognise it for the award of a master’s degree, which was agreed by the relevant college committees.

Professor Alan Kelly said: “The work was of a very high scientific standard, and presents an important historical record of technologies which were only newly being put in place on Irish farms. If a thesis of this standard was submitted today, we would have no hesitation in making the award.”

The master’s degree was presented to Michael’s family by UCC President Professor John O’Halloran at a special ceremony in UCC attended by family, friends, and former colleagues of Michael, Thomas, and John.

The Cowhig family said: “As a family we would like to thank the President and staff of UCC for their wholehearted efforts in establishing the merits of our Dad’s research.

“We would also like recognised the support provided in this case by the Teagasc/Moorepark family. We are very grateful, in particular, to retired Professor Tom Raftery, whose determined spirit persisted over many years and acted as catalyst to the award of this master’s degree.

“We have always been very proud of what our Dad achieved in his short lifetime, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to attend this award ceremony in the company of so many of his former colleagues and friends.”