The lead singer of Snow Patrol returned to the city where it all began on Friday morning to receive an honorary degree from Dundee University.
Gary Lightbody was one of ten prominent figures recognised by his alma mater – almost two decades on from his days as a student in the City of Discovery.
He officially received his Doctor of Laws from the university at about 11.30am.
And now it’s the turn of @snowpatrol frontman @garysnowpatrol to receive his Doctor of Laws ? #uodgrad #graduation #graduationday pic.twitter.com/8vZJy9rz4H
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) June 22, 2018
“This is the first Degree from Dundee I knew I was going to get!”: @garysnowpatrol jokes about his own student days here @dundeeuni #uodgrad
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) June 22, 2018
Snow Patrol began life in Dundee when the Northern Irishman linked up with Michael Morrison and Mark McClelland while attending Dundee University in the early-1990s.
During Lightbody’s time in Tayside he also met the band’s future keyboardist Tom Simpson, who is from Monifieth. He was in attendance to watch the singer receive his honour.
Speaking before the graduation ceremony, Lightbody hailed the changes that had taken place in Dundee in the years since he studied at the university.
Today’s Honorary Graduates, Dr Michel Goedert and Gary Lightbody of @snowpatrol, having their official #GraduationDay photos taken #uodgrad pic.twitter.com/EeGOGdCNO1
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) June 22, 2018
He said: “It’s amazing, I feel very honoured. I love Dundee, Dundee gave us a lot. We formed here – the first day of Freshers’ Week 1994, so 24 years ago. We had our first gig here, we played the student union.
“I met Tom Simpson here, who joined the band. You know, Dundee gave us a lot.
Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody posing with students @dundeeuni before he receives an honorary degree today. pic.twitter.com/3aBVFpRreZ
— Davy Shanks (@Davyshanks) June 22, 2018
“There’s obviously some new things like the V&A, I had a wander around last night. Dundee’s looking great.
“It’s amazing the buildings that have sprouted up and the change in the place, and (there’s) still enough to keep the memories flooding in.”
After Lightbody took to the stage at the ceremony, the Dundee University choir performed a version of Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars.
And how do we finish off? With our choir with its take on @snowpatrol classic Chasing Cars, which gets a chuckle from @garysnowpatrol #uodgrad pic.twitter.com/Eghs9Z92w2
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) June 22, 2018
Singing Chasing Cars in front of Gary Lightbody is probably going to be the highlight of my uni career… @UoDMusic @dundeeuni @snowpatrol
— Katy Tzabar (@KTzabar) June 22, 2018
“As you graduate today, you do so as part of a huge international family” ???#UoDGrad #weareinternational pic.twitter.com/wO0qt64a7M
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) June 22, 2018
