The Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting was honoured to welcome Mr. Feargal McCormack (FCA), President of Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) to Maynooth University on Thursday September 27th, 2018. Introduced to both undergraduate and post graduate accounting student by Dr Mark McGuire, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, Mr McCormack’s philosophy for his presidency encapsulated in his own words, ‘I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care,’ demonstrates in his impressive and distinguished contribution to the accountancy profession and wider community.
Maintaining and strengthening Maynooth University’s ongoing relationship with CAI, Maynooth is the first university Mr McCormack has visited as president. Accompanied by Director of Education of CAI, Ronan O’Loughlin and Bryan Rankin, Marketing Manager, he met with Dr Fabrice Rousseau, Head of the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting and the accounting lecturers, who are also fellow Chartered Accountants.
He spoke with students on the Master’s in Accounting programme, Lewis Wood, winner of the 2018 PWC prize for the top accounting student in the final year of the BA Accounting and Finance and Riza Ul Haq Mohammed, winner of the 2018 Deliotte prize for the top accounting student on year 1 of the 2-year Masters in Accounting. He also spoke with interest to Daniel Flynn and Paddy Brophy, members of the Kildare Senior Gaelic Football team who also completed their undergraduate in accounting in Maynooth, to hear how they blend their studies with their success in the sporting arena. Drawing on parallels between sport and business, Mr McCormack spoke to the accounting students of how the discipline and integrity required for Chartered Accountancy can be transferred onto the field. He emphasised ‘It’s not your circumstances that determine what you do, they only determine where you start’. Epitomising the modern-day accountant, Mr McCormack’s contribution to the profession and society certainly dispenses with any pre-conceived, historical notions of what is means to be a Chartered Accountant. There are over 1,200 accounting students in Maynooth University and it was a wonderful opportunity for students to meet such a prominent and highly respected member of the accounting profession.