UCC Alumni and Friends

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On 21 June, the Duhallow Vintage Club held a charity run in memory of Mary O'Sullivan, a valued club member who recently...
29/07/2026

On 21 June, the Duhallow Vintage Club held a charity run in memory of Mary O'Sullivan, a valued club member who recently passed away from Parkinson's Disease. Thanks to their generous members and community, the run raised €4,000 for UCC's Parkinson's Disease Research Cluster.

This contribution will support important research at UCC focused on better understanding Parkinson’s, improving detection and diagnosis, addressing the symptoms that affect patients and their families, and developing approaches to improve care and quality of life. Thank you to the Club and to everyone who contributed for the event.

29/07/2026

AI : Get Curious

UCC alum Conor Twomey (BSc 2008) believes we're at a turning point, one that could rival the arrival of the PC and the internet.

💬 “It shouldn’t replace your thinking. It should amplify your voice.”

In the latest issue of The Bridge, Conor shares how AI can help us work smarter, communicate better and spend less time on routine tasks, without losing the human judgement that matters most.

📖 Read the full story in The Bridge.
Link in comments.

27/07/2026

From the fiddle at age 3 to Riverdance, BIIRD and beyond

UCC alum Nicole Lonergan (BA '16) has been playing fiddle since childhood, inspired by her grandmother and a young dream of being Máiréad Nesbitt. That dream became reality, she's since toured with Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, and today plays with trad supergroup BIIRD and DecPierce - Block Rockin Beats.

"There was no way I was going to avoid it as a child... but I also absolutely loved it, and I love it now."

Ten years after graduating, she's busier than ever, with a brand new project launching soon.

Read the full interview on Extra.ie
Link in the comments


"Langer is an absolutely beautiful word" 😄 Des MacHale (BSc '67 MSc '68) has published Langers & Lashes: A Compendium of...
23/07/2026

"Langer is an absolutely beautiful word" 😄

Des MacHale (BSc '67 MSc '68) has published Langers & Lashes: A Compendium of Cork Slang. What he calls the most comprehensive collection of Cork's famously colourful, witty and downright ingenious vernacular ever put to print.

Drawing on decades of conversations, two out-of-print predecessors, and a mathematician's instinct for collecting and classifying, Des has documented hundreds of termss, proof that "Cork slang is very different… It's much more extensive."

Des has spent a career turning wit, puzzles and humour into books people love, including a Kerryman joke book still selling 50 years on.

22/07/2026

Raising funds, honouring a legacy 💛

DM Strength & Performance is hosting a HYROX Fundraiser Challenge in memory of our lovely colleague, Dr Ashleigh Byrne O'Brien, with all proceeds going to the Dr Ashleigh Byrne O'Brien Memorial Fund and Awards.

📅 Sunday, 2 August 2026
🕘 First wave at 9am
📍 DM Strength & Performance, Fermoy, Co. Cork (P61 CC92)

A doubles HYROX challenge open to all fitness levels take part, cheer from the sidelines, or donate. Every bit helps.

Doubles Full Challenge: €60
Doubles Half Challenge: €40
Tickets limited, available via on Instagram and Facebook.


UCC College of Medicine and Health UCC Sport

🎭 Emma Nash (BA '08) is taking to the Cork Opera House stage this summer as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music, a r...
21/07/2026

🎭 Emma Nash (BA '08) is taking to the Cork Opera House stage this summer as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music, a role that feels like a full-circle moment, as the beloved musical was her favourite film growing up.

A graduate of Drama and Theatre Studies at UCC, Emma has built an impressive career in performance, with her journey taking her from collaborations with the National Symphony Orchestral to the Opera Theatre Company's Young Artist Programme and beyond.

Speaking about the production, Emma said:
"Bringing The Sound of Music to life has been a real privilege. There's such a fantastic team involved, and everyone is completely committed to creating something memorable. I have a feeling I'll always look back on the summer of 2026, when this amazing group of artists came together to create something magical at Cork Opera House."

📍 The Sound of Music runs at Cork Opera House starting this week..

Read the full interview in the Cork Independent
(Link in comments)

20/07/2026

🧠🦠 Go with your Gut

Professor Ted Dinan (Medicine ’79) has spent decades uncovering the powerful connection between the gut and the brain.

💬 “The gut and brain are deeply intertwined. The good news is, we can influence that connection.”

Discover how his groundbreaking research is transforming our understanding of wellbeing in the latest issue of The Bridge.

📖 Read the full story.
Link in comments.

16/07/2026

🔬 Science Without Borders
From a molecular diagnostics lab in Honduras to the forefront of cancer research in Cork and Seattle, Dr Yensi Flores Bueso (MSc ’15, PhD ’20) has built a remarkable career driven by curiosity, determination, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others.

Today, she leads BacStar, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie funded project exploring how bacteria could be used to deliver life-saving cancer therapies. Beyond the lab, Yensi is helping shape the future of global science through her roles with the Global Young Academy and the United Nations.

💬 “Creating opportunities where they didn't exist was just as important as the science itself.”

Read Yensi's inspiring story in the latest issue of The Bridge.
Link in comments.

🎓 52 years and still going strong! Recently, the BComm Class of 1974 gathered for their 52nd Reunion. As always, it was ...
15/07/2026

🎓 52 years and still going strong!

Recently, the BComm Class of 1974 gathered for their 52nd Reunion. As always, it was a wonderful evening filled with great company, shared stories, and treasured memories. Here's to lifelong friendships and many more reunions to come! 🥂

Are you considering organising a class reunion? We’d love to help, reach out to [email protected].

💍 Congratulations to Carol O'Donovan_ (BComm '18) and David O'Donovan (BA '18), who were married in the beautiful at UC...
07/07/2026

💍 Congratulations to Carol O'Donovan_ (BComm '18) and David O'Donovan (BA '18), who were married in the beautiful at UCC in March 💚 Wishing them a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and happiness as they begin this wonderful new chapter together ✨

If you would like to be included in our Weddings at UCC series, please email your photo(s) to [email protected]. Also please include your names, your degree/s and year/s of graduation, your wedding date and your instagram handles, so we can tag you. Remember to include the name of your photographer so we can credit them in the caption.

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