Conferring ceremonies are among the highlights of our year, whether they are admission to membership or specialist qualifications. It is so important to mark these achievements and take pride in the hard work leading to success. It is also a great opportunity to recognise the essential support provided by family, friends, training firms, and employers.
On 20 October and 27 October, almost 1,000 new members were conferred having been recently admitted to membership. This was the second series of virtual ceremonies, ensuring we can mark the occasion despite restrictions.
It’s not uncommon for professions to pass from one generation to the next within a family, but we noticed that there were in fact some nearer relations in this intake, and you can read more on this below.
Twins David and Aidan O’Connor
To have siblings study the same discipline with the same training body at the same time may be something of a coincidence, but twins must be quite rare. Carrigaline twins David and Aidan O’Connor were both conferred having trained with PwC and Deloitte respectively. Both are graduates of UCC. Aidan studied a BA in Politics and Economics, while his twin David’s primary degree is Commerce.
Aidan credits his love for Accounting to his secondary school teacher in Carrigaline Community School. Having completed their training, the brothers are eager to explore the opportunities their qualification can offer, at home and abroad.
Sisters Avril and Rachel Dooley-O’Carroll
Avril is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering while her sister Rachel completed Commerce in UCD. Both took the training contract route, Avril with PwC and Rachel with KPMG. Both recognise the opportunities the qualification can give them access to nationally and internationally, but Avril values it in particular for the opportunity to reorient her career from a technology-focussed background to a corporate career.
Both are relieved that the exams are over and enjoyed their virtual ceremonies with their families and friends. And no sibling rivalry here: they both really appreciated each other’s support, help and solidarity while training and studying.
Cousins Shane and Martin Kavanagh
Shane Kavanagh is a graduate of Accounting and Finance from NUI Maynooth, after which he started a training contract with PwC, availing of CAP1 exemptions based on that degree. Recognising the potential to travel that his qualification brings, he hopes to work internationally at some point. In fact, he celebrated his conferring from Dubai!
His cousin Martin trained as a plumber at home in Co. Wexford, with his trade bringing him to Australia where he worked for a number of years before deciding to come home and start an accounting technician course. This also gave him CAP1 exemptions when he was completing his Chartered qualification, training with EY.
Like father, like daughter – Michael and Caroline Black
Caroline Black from Lisburn studied Accountancy at Queens University, managing to enjoy a year out in Denver on a Study USA programme. She then started her training contract with EY. Her dad, Michael, is a former chair of the Ulster Society, and completed his own training with Coopers & Lybrand. Caroline was inspired by her father’s work and credits him for her career choice. Like all our new members, Caroline is excited to see what doors will open for her and to meet the diverse network of members.
Michael reflects that the speed of technological change has been such that he remembers one computer for up to 10 staff in an office. He describes the profession now as unrecognisable to what it was then, and the diversity of services offered by firms is amazing in the opportunities it can present to newly qualified Chartered Accountants who take advantage and keep upskilling.
Our 30,000th member – Richard Akpan
Another new member who availed of the training contract entry route from a non-finance degree, Richard is a Chemistry graduate who had aspirations to be a doctor before starting a training contract with KPMG. He is now embarking on a move to a new role in Edinburgh and we wish him and all our new members all the best.
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