My son's graduation at Limerick University

Monies towards this lovely hall were in part donated by the peoples of the United States of America. In my mind it was money well spent. Amazing really that when people pull together, great things happen.

But turning out great minds. This is a celebration of it's twentieth year and it is a beautiful University.

We are coming from the car park and heading towards the concert hall where the graduation is being held. Lovely grounds and settings with the fountains in play. Look at the streams of cars still heading in.

Here is the layout for the ceremony prior to all the dignitaries assembling. Lovely setting and scene.

If you look at the floor above, by the last set of flowers, on the right you will see a young lady there. Her purpose is to sign for those members in the audience who happen to have no hearing, and so they can follow the proceedings. I must say that she did this beautifully. Which reminds me of something.

I must say when these twelve people first came in, six on each side. I was truly puzzled as they all looked so young. Surely, it wasn't possible that these were lecturers? Or perhaps, I'm just getting old?

As it turns out I had to wait until the end, when all was revealed. You see, these great minds were actually being awarded, in my opinion, the highest accolade of all; Doctor of Philosophy. It's something I always wanted for myself and still do. Here are some random examples of what they were getting their awards for.

'An Integrated Process Quality Risk Minimisation Methodology for High Volume Manufacturing.'

'On the Use of Urinary Bladder Matrix as a Tissue-Engineered Material for the Improvement of Stent Graft Performance in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.'

'Strontium Glass Polyalkenoate Cements for Luting Applications in the Human Skeleton.'

At about this time, it suddenly dawned on me, that I was way out of my depth. I mean I couldn't even understand the sentence, leave alone anything else. Ah! the joys of being a simple farmer. It's actually a sore point with me because I wasted my brain by trying to be 'cool' at school instead of using the greatest gift God gave to man, and that's having a brain.

Don't worry I hammered this lesson into my children at an early age. So far two of them have got their degrees and the last starts soon. Thanks be to God.

Academia has taken it's place and the ceremony can commence.

Apologies here for the quality of the photo. You see the thing is it happens very fast and I was caught flat footed. I'm not ashamed of this. It's a very special moment for me here and I cannot go back in time, so what you see is what you get.

You see the thing is my son was born with something wrong with his head. At the age of three months we had to have him operated on. They took a piece out of his skull from forehead to back and inserted a plate in there. We were told it was merely for cosmetic purposes and left alone would not affect his brain. However he would have a funny shaped head. I used to have a bit of money in those days, so had it done. The thing is as a parent, one is never quite sure it is a success.

So here is Michael Peter Moor being awarded with an Aeronautical Engineering degree with First class honours.

Now I Know that pride is one of the seven deadly sins. I'm sorry I just can't help it.

Horror, horror, horrificus. I happen to be a very naughty person who smokes. By the time the ceremony was over I was in bad need of some of the old nicotine. Luckily my eldest daughters boyfriend (if he can do it without her noticing), likes the odd old fag himself. So we had a smoke and a bit of a chat, while the others went their merry way.

As it turns out we found them about to be photographed by a reporter from the Irish Examiner newspaper. This had put them in fine fettle especially my youngest. So not wanting to miss an opportunity I jumped into the fray myself. Believe it or not the reporter was true to his word and they did appear in the paper with a small write up.

Then they appeared in the Evening Echo as well. Blimey O'Reilly but everyone was chuffed. These are my own but the exact image of how they appeared in the papers. Firstly in the Irish Examiner. Michael Moor, aeronautical engineering first class honours, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, with his proud sisters Siobhan, left, and Dagny.

Actually this is not the correct photo. In reality they were behind an umbrella. I thought I had it but was obviously late again.

God save us but that would have been unforgiveable. I owe plenty to this woman and here she is at the small party in the aeronautical lecture room.