Roma Downey comes home to receive an honorary degree

Derry actress Roma Downey today received an honorary degree from the University of Ulster.

Roma received the honour at a graduation ceremony in the Millennium Forum.

During her visit home, the actress hosted a special screening of her new DVD in aid of the Foyle Hospice.

On Saturday evening, the Playhouse on Artillery Street hosted a screening of ‘Son of God', the follow-up to her hugely successful TV mini-series, ‘The Bible’, both of which Downey collaborated on with her producer husband, Mike Burnett.

In addition to the screening of Downey’s latest venture, Saturday night’s event also saw a screening of a new film created for the Foyle Hospice, with many of those involved in the hospice in attendance, including the Foyle Hospice funder Dr Tom McGinley and Dr. Keith Munro, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The event also saw the former SDLP leader John Hume in attendance with the Foyle MP Mark Durkan, and the former Mayor of Derry, SDLP councillor Martin Reilly.

Roma today received an honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Art (DFA) for her outstanding contribution to acting and philanthropy.

Also set to be honoured this week at the Derry graduation ceremonies is Frank Cottrell-Boyce who wrote ‘The Return of Colmcille’ for City of Culture celebrations last year.

He will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) for his outstanding contribution to writing.