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CITATION FOR FRANK HENEGHAN.
A Uachtaráin agus a bhaill na hInstitiúide,
Frank Heneghan was born in Tralee, Co. Kerry but was educated in O’Connell’s School in Dublin before attending
University College Dublin where he read both engineering and music. Although he did spend the first sixteen years of his
career working as an engineer, it was music which was ultimately to become his profession and his passion. For let there be
no doubt about it, Frank Heneghan is certainly passionate about all aspects of music.
Frank was himself a most accomplished pianist, winning many prizes in the Royal Irish Academy of Music and at Feis Ceoil,
including the coveted Hamilton Harty Cup for Piano Concerto. His successes also included the Trimble Cup for two pianos
where his partner was Ann Clancy, later to become his wife.
However it is as a music educator that he has undoubtedly made his mark. Frank became Principal of the then College of
Music in 1973, and spent the remainder of his career actively involved, indeed one could say on occasions, controversially
involved, in the advancement of music education, not just in Dublin, but right across the world. As Principal of the College
he pioneered the development of professionalism amongst performing and teaching musicians, leading to the historic
tripartite music education degree in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music
(1987). This was followed by an equally important development: the recognition by the University of Dublin of
performance as a degree-earning specialist study, resulting in the awarding of the BMus (Performance) degree to students
completing the then DIT diploma course.
When the depressing Deaf Ears Report on music education in Irish Schools was published by the Arts Council in 1985,
Frank felt motivated to make the complementary response which would actually investigate the problems uncovered. He
entered TCD to study education theory from first principles with the objective of applying this to the seemingly muchmisunderstood
and neglected area of music education. This was a long project which gradually developed into the three
Music Education National Debate (MEND) conferences, with the core international event in 1995 and concluded in 1996
with the founding of the Music Education National Forum. The MEND Initiative was monitored by the Music Education
National Conference of the USA and by the International Society for Music Education, so it attracted worldwide attention.
The initiative was sponsored by the DIT. The development of contextual theory at the core of the MEND project has
earned the admiration of music educationalists, particularly in the United States. Frank’s research for the MEND project
ultimately led to his completing a PhD at the University of Pretoria.

Frank, however, was also renowned for his skills as a teacher. Despite the onerous duties of a College Principal, Frank always
managed to find time for teaching. Indeed his many students have had huge success, both in Ireland and abroad: 200 first
prizes in Feis Ceoil across both junior and senior categories and his student Peter Mack was the only person ever to win all
10 senior awards. On the international scene, Frank’s students have won awards at important competitions in the UK, Italy
and the US. As a result of his reputation as an outstanding teacher, Frank has lectured and given master-classes in more that
30 universities worldwide.
Since his retirement from DIT, Frank has concentrated his teaching activities in the US and in South Africa. He is a
permanent faculty member at the New Orleans International Piano Institute which is held every year, and is visiting professor
at the Conservatory of the University of the Northwest at Potchefstroom in South Africa. Frank’s services as an adjudicator
are also much in demand and he has served on competition juries in Hong Kong, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia,
Taiwan, The UK and The United States.
His contributions to music have been honoured by others: he was elected for 20 continuous years as Chairman of Feis Ceoil,
has been President of the 26-nation European Piano Teachers’ Association and has been awarded the honorary degree DMus
by the University of Potchefstroom for his services to music education.
In addition to his commitment to the world of music, Frank also played a full role as a member of the directorate of the newly
formed Dublin Institute of Technology, including a period towards the end of his career, as the director of cultural affairs in
DIT.
In summary, the contributions of Frank Heneghan to Music Education, and to DIT are of the highest order. The Dublin
Institute of Technology honours his distinguished contributions with the award of an Honorary Fellowship.
President, members of the Institute, I present to you Frank Heneghan.