British Council and British Embassy UK-Ireland Alumni Reception at UCC

The British Council and the British Embassy in Dublin partnered with University College Cork to host the 2026 UK-IRL Alumni Reception. The event took place in the Aula Maxima on Thursday 5th February 2026. Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, Head of Study of Religions, was MC of the event which was formally opened by Professor John O’Halloran, President of University College Cork. 

Also featuring a distinguished panel of speakers, including Patrick Reilly, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Ireland; Jerry O’Donovan, Ireland’s Consul General to Scotland; Catriona McCarthy, Global Head of Student Mobility and Internationalisation of UK Education at the British Council. The event had Mayoral representation from Cork City Council and Cork County Council amongst other distinguished guests. Thanks to Dr. Kerry McCall Magan who is the Country Director Ireland at British Council.

The speech in-full of Dr. Amanullah De Sondy:

It’s a real pleasure to welcome you all on behalf of the British Council and the British Embassy in Ireland, as we gather for this year’s reception here at University College Cork. Tonight, we celebrate something truly special - the enduring friendship between the UK and Ireland, our shared academic heritage, the power of alumni connections, and the collaborations that continue to shape our higher education landscape.

Standing here this evening, I wear a few different hats - as an academic, as an alum, and as someone whose own educational journey reminds me daily just how transformative these connections can be.

Tonight is also personal. I grew up on a council estate in Glasgow, the youngest of seven children in a Pakistani Muslim family. My mum’s education didn’t go beyond primary school. My dad passed his high school exams and spent most of his working life running a corner shop in Glasgow - the kind where you could buy milk, the Evening Times, and unsolicited life advice all at once.

Despite that, my parents placed enormous value on education. My eldest brother dutifully fulfilled the family dream of becoming a medical doctor. By the time they got to child number seven, they were clearly tired because I was allowed to choose my own path. And I chose religion. (Every family has one.)

From an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies with Education at Stirling, to a Master’s in the history of Jerusalem at Dundee, and a PhD at Glasgow, I seemed determined never to leave Scotland. Even a generous scholarship to Emory University in the US wasn’t enough to tempt me. But eventually, six years in America and now over a decade here in Cork taught me something important: education isn’t just about books, lectures, or footnotes.

It’s about movement - the places we go, the people we meet, and the perspectives we pick up along the way.

And in a world where immigrants are often spoken about in negative terms, evenings like this remind us of a different story. Our academic communities across Ireland and the UK are full of success stories shaped by migration - stories like mine, and many of yours. They’re a powerful reminder that when people move, ideas move - and when ideas move, everyone benefits.

That’s really what tonight is about: celebrating those journeys, the bridges we’ve built and continue to build - through our universities, and the rich tapestry that emerges when people and ideas cross borders.

As alumni, scholars, and lifelong learners, we’re all part of that story. So tonight, let’s celebrate the power of education - not just to inform minds, but to connect hearts, challenge assumptions, and occasionally send you halfway across the world for a PhD.