Ex-addict James Leonard graduates with first class honours from UCC
A Cork man who has turned his life around after overcoming his addiction to heroin received a first class honours masters degree in criminology at University College Cork (UCC) this week.
UCC student James Leonard brought Tommy Tiernan to tears when he appeared on his RTÉ show to speak with the comedian about his history with addiction.
A heroin user for 10 years, Mr Leonard spoke about how isolated drug use made him feel.
“I tried recovery a few times, I’d go to treatment centres but I could never imagine myself without using the substance. It was very easy to go back to what was familiar to me even though it was so rough.”
"I suppose throughout the heroin use, the craic left me. There was no more craic, there was no more bonding, it's very isolating," he told Tommy Tiernan. "There was nothing glamorous about it, everyday is a struggle."
James now works with the Cork Education and Training Board (Cork ETB) Youth Services. Speaking ahead of his conferring, he said he chose his course as it was a field in which he has long held an interest.
“During my undergraduate in Youth and Community Work, I completed two placements at Probation Service funded projects. I also researched drug policy for my undergrad dissertation. The Criminology masters was the natural choice for me to get a more in-depth understanding of theories and perspectives related to deviance, organised crime, recovery, desistance (how to stop offending), youth justice etc."
“The practical skills gained on work experience on the Youth and Community degree coupled with the academic skills of the Masters put me in a position to be employed by Cork ETB Youth Services where both sets of skills, and indeed knowledge, are very relevant."
"The Criminology masters complimented the Youth and Community bachelors nicely and greatly improved my employability,” he added.
Mr Leonard was among the 1,100 students who received their qualifications at conferring ceremonies taking place on the UCC campus this week.
Meanwhile, in his Conferrings address, UCC President Prof Patrick O’Shea called on graduates to do their part to tackle climate change.
“If we do not act, and act quickly, then our world is going to change radically; it already is. This will impact you, your children, and your children’s children, more than this grey-haired person who stands before you today,” he said.
“They say dire warnings around the future of our planet have little impact on an audience. So I won’t give you dire warnings. I will instead issue a plea.
"A plea that in the actions you take, the roles that you will lead, the debate that you encourage, that you consider, how we together, can place our environment on a path that does not risk our future.”
He also reiterated the university's commitment to equality and diversity. "We are living in a time that is seeing the rise of nationalistic sentiment, as swathes of communities feel disconnected, providing fertile ground for those calling for a retreat behind borders."
