Cork University Foundation
Cork University Foundation
Cork University Foundation (CUF) is the preferred vehicle for securing and stewarding philanthropic donations for University College Cork. Established in 1996, CUF carries out a diverse array of fundraising and stewardship initiatives for the benefit of UCC that generate financial support for agreed priorities and help the university advance its strategic goals.
By doing so, CUF is critical to ensuring the outstanding educational experience that students and staff deserve, advancing life-changing research, and maintaining UCC as an internationally recognised, world-class university.
Cork University Foundation is incorporated in Ireland as a limited liability company and a registered charity (CRN: 243605, RCN: 20033385, CHY11831).
Why is philanthropy important for UCC?
Approximately 52% of UCC’s operating expenditure is funded from state grants and academic fees1. Philanthropy is one critical way to help to bridge the gap.
CUF's board of independent directors work directly with the president of UCC, the UCC Alumni and Development team and staff and students of the university to identify opportunities and areas of need that align with the university’s strategic plan, and to execute fundraising initiatives to support them. These initiatives include appeals to alumni and friends of UCC, collaborations with government- and non-government organisations, partnerships with companies and businesses, and much more.
The continuing spirit of giving from UCC alumni and other benefactors to the university is of critical importance to the mission of the foundation, which is committed to nurturing and sustaining relationships of mutual trust and respect with all of its donors.
The CUF mission is further clarified in the Foundation’s Fundraising Policy and Donor Charter.
1 Data from UCC's 2023 financial statements
Thank You
Cork University Foundation would like to acknowledge all of the generous donors who have supported UCC. You can learn more about some of them by reading the annual Philanthropy Impact Reports and regularly published Impact Stories.
Board of Directors
| Board Member | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Kerry Bryson |
Kerry joined University College Cork as the Director of Business Development and Advancement at UCC in August 2021. She is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Cork University Foundation. | CEO |
| UCC President | The President of UCC occupies the role of Director (ex officio) for the Cork University Foundation. | Director (Ex Officio) |
| Neil O'Leary | Neil is Chair of Cork University Foundation. He graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor in Civil Law in 1979. Neil started his career in the London Stock Exchange and has since carved an impressive career in investment banking. He is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Ion Equity, an investment firm which creates and builds businesses across multiple sectors. | Chair |
| Deirdre Stuart | Deirdre joined the Finance Office in University College Cork in 2005. She is currently a director in the Advancement Office responsible for finance and operations. | Secretary |
| Maeve Cavanagh-O'Shaughnessy | Maeve graduated from University College with a BComm in 1990 and began her career with the Allied Irish Bank. With a background in business and the charitable sectors, Maeve is currently the Manager of the Tomar Trust, a family-owned philanthropic trust that aims to contribute to strengthening Irish society. The Trust’s funding priorities are to support, sustainable community initiatives, develop a socially cohesive society and invest in education and children. | Vice-Chair |
| John Fitzgerald | John Fitzgerald is a private investor focused on technology investment in Ireland and the UK. He graduated from UCC with a BE (Civil Engineering) in 1984 and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. His career has taken him to USA, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. Following graduation from UCC, he worked as an engineer in the United States until 1995. On graduating from Harvard in 1997 he worked in corporate turnaround in the USA and mobile telephony in the UK before joining SANS Institute in 2005 until 2015. John was Managing Director for SANS Institute in EMEA and Founder/Managing Director for SANS Securing the Human. SANS specialises in information security and cybersecurity training. In 2015 John co-founded Secure Code Warrior (also cybersecurity training) and was the Chairman until 2018. In 2019-2020 John was CEO of Adents, a technology company based in Paris which supplies companies with drug traceability software. | Director |
| Nora Geary | Nora was appointed UCC’s Corporate Secretary in 2017, following six years as the Deputy Secretary. Prior to this she served in the health service in clinical, managerial and leadership roles. Her areas of expertise include governance, risk management, change management, emergency management, insurance, and clinical research. Nora was appointed to the CUF Board in March 2025 having previously served as Secretary 2022-2025. | Director |
| David Merriman | Following a 30 year-plus banking career with Bank of Ireland, David joined Beechbrook Capital in 2018. Beechbrook Capital is a European Private Credit Fund Manager with pan-European private debt funds along with country-specific credit fund strategies covering the UK and Irish markets. Initially, he headed up Beechbrook’s Ireland Fund Strategy. Currently, he heads up the pan-European private debt strategy, dividing his time between Beechbrook’s Cork office and its head office in London. David is a UCC graduate, having completed his primary degree in English and Philosophy in 1990 and then completing an MBA in 1993. He has served on UCC’s Business Information Systems Advisory Board since 2009 and chaired it since 2013. He also chairs the UCC Sports Leadership Team, which is tasked with delivering UCC’s sports strategy. | Director |
| Honor Moore | Honor holds a BComm from UCC and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland. She has recently retired after a thirty year career in professional services, the past fifteen of which she has spent as an audit partner and partner in charge of Deloitte’s Cork office. She is a director of Cork ARC Cancer Support House and is a member of the Board of Munster Rugby. | Director |
| Bill Murphy | Bill graduated from University College Cork in 1971 with a Bachelor in Civil Engineering. He has forged an accomplished career in real estate which included his time as Vice President at The Chase Manhattan Bank where he handled construction lending and real estate workouts. Bill is now the founder and President of the real estate investment company Douglas Management and Realty Inc., which is based in Florida. | Director |
| Dr Dermot O'Mahoney | Dermot served as a Governor of UCC for many years. He received an Honorary Doctorate in Laws from the N.U.I (National University of Ireland). He is a fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants and a long-standing member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (I.C.S.A.). He is Chairman of the Hope Foundation and is also an Honorary Life Member of the Life Assurance Association. | Director |
| Sean Shine | Sean graduated from UCC with a BE (Civil Engineering) in 1985 after attending St. Munchin’s College in Limerick. Sean spent 31 years in Accenture and held various senior leadership roles including Global head of Revenue and Customs and CEO of the Accenture Europe, Africa, Middle East & Latin America Health and Public Sector business. Sean was a member of the Accenture Global Leadership Council. After retiring from Accenture in 2015, in 2016, Sean joined the Paragon Group as COO and Board member and was subsequently appointed as Group CEO in 2019. During Sean’s tenure, Paragon acquired more than 60 businesses and reached nearly €2billion sales with over 11,000 employees. Sean retired from Paragon in 2024 and is a now senior adviser to the Group. Sean is passionate about Housing and the built environment and is a Board member (Trustee) of the Iveagh Trust. Sean is a Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (FCMA) and is a former republic of Ireland President of CIMA. Married to Linda, with two adult sons, Sean is originally from Granagh in Co. Limerick and now based in Dublin. Sean is interested in architecture, art, music and sport – especially Munster and Ireland rugby and Limerick hurling. Sean joined Cork University Foundation in February 2025. | Director |
| Aidan Synnott | Aidan graduated from University College Cork in 1985 with a Bachelor in Civil Law. He then emigrated to the United States where he has built a prolific career as a litigator. Aidan is currently a Partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York. | Director |
Annual Reports
For enquiries, please contact Kerry Bryson, CEO, Cork University Foundation: foundation@ucc.ie or call +353 (0)21 420 5942