• Current students
      • Student centre
        Enrol on a course/exam
        My enrolments
        Exam results
        Mock exams
      • Course information
        Students FAQs
        Student induction
        Course enrolment information
        Key dates
        Book distribution
        Timetables
        FAE Elective Information
      • Exams
        Exam Info: CAP1
        E-assessment information
        Exam info: CAP2
        Exam info: FAE
        Reasonable accommodation and extenuating circumstances
        Timetables for exams & interim assessments
        Interim assessments past papers & E-Assessment mock solutions
        Main examination past papers
        Information and appeals scheme
        JIEB: NI Insolvency Qualification
      • CA Diary resources
        Mentors: Getting started on the CA Diary
        CA Diary for Flexible Route FAQs
      • Admission to membership
        Joining as a reciprocal member
        Conferring dates
        Admissions FAQs
      • Support & services
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contracts
        CASSI
        Student supports and wellbeing
        Learning Hub data privacy policy
        Online Payment FAQs
        Audit qualification
    • Students

      View all the services available for students of the Institute

      Read More
  • Becoming a student
      • About Chartered Accountancy
        The Chartered difference
        What do Chartered Accountants do?
        5 Reasons to become a Chartered Accountant
        Student benefits
        School Bootcamp
        Third Level Hub
        Study in Northern Ireland
        Events
        Blogs
        Member testimonials 2022
        Become a Chartered Accountant podcast series
      • Entry routes
        College
        Working
        Accounting Technicians
        School leavers
        Member of another body
        International student
        Flexible Route
        Training Contract
      • Course description
        CAP1
        CAP2
        FAE
        Our education offering
      • Apply
        How to apply
        Exemptions guide
        Fees & payment options
        External students
      • Training vacancies
        Training vacancies search
        Training firms list
        Large training firms
        Milkround
        Training firms update details
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contract
        Interview preparation and advice
        The rewards on qualification
        Tailoring your CV for each application
        Securing a trainee Chartered Accountant role
      • Support & services
        Becoming a student FAQs
        Who to contact for employers
        Register for a school visit
    • Becoming a
      student

      Study with us

      Read More
  • Members
      • Members Hub
        My account
        Member subscriptions
        Annual returns
        Application forms
        CPD/events
        Member services A-Z
        District societies
        Professional Standards
        Young Professionals
        Careers development
      • Members in practice
        Going into practice
        Managing your practice FAQs
        Practice compliance FAQs
        Toolkits and resources
        Audit FAQs
        Other client services
        Practice Consulting services
        What's new
      • Overseas members
        Working abroad
        Working in Australia
        Overseas members news
        Tax for returning Irish members
      • In business
        Networking and special interest groups
        Articles
      • Public sector
        Public sector news
        Public sector presentations
      • Support & services
        Letters of good standing form
        Member FAQs
        AML confidential disclosure form
        CHARIOT/Institute Technical content
        TaxSource Total
        Audit Qualification requirements
        Pocket diaries
        Thrive Hub
    • Members

      View member services

      Read More
  • Employers
      • Training organisations
        Authorise to train
        Training in business
        Manage my students
        Incentive Scheme
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contracts
        Securing and retaining the best talent
        Tips on writing a job specification
      • Training
        In-house training
        Training tickets
      • Recruitment services
        Hire a qualified Chartered Accountant
        Hire a trainee student
      • Non executive directors recruitment service
      • Support & services
        Hire members: log a job vacancy
        Firm/employers FAQs
        Training ticket FAQs
        Authorisations
        Hire a room
        Who to contact for employers
    • Employers

      Services to support your business

      Read More
☰
  • Find a firm
  • Jobs
  • Login
☰
  • Home
  • Knowledge centre
  • Professional development
  • About us
  • Shop
  • News
Search
View Cart 0 Item

News

  • Home/
  • News/
  • 2020
☰
  • News
  • News archive
    • 2020
    • 2019
  • Press releases
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
  • Newsletters
  • Press contacts
  • Media downloads
  • Podcasts Chartered Accountants Ireland
  • Budget day news

Two entrants jointly named 2020/21 “Chartered Star” by Chartered Accountants Ireland

Dec 22, 2020

The annual “Chartered Star” prize has been jointly awarded to two entrants from Co. Donegal and Co. Down by Chartered Accountants Ireland. The decision reflected the high calibre of entrants this year, and both winners will now go on to represent the Irish chartered accountancy profession at the ‘One Young World’ conference in Munich next July.

The winners are Aisling McCaffrey, Associate Director with Grant Thornton and Dr Caroline McGroary, Assistant Professor of Accounting in Dublin City University (DCU). 

The ‘Chartered Star’ award recognises exceptional achievement amongst young and trainee accountants around the island of Ireland. Each year, it is awarded to someone who will lead, motivate, and inspire as they build their career. In 2020, entrants were challenged to demonstrate to the judging panel the ways in which they are making a difference and working towards, or supporting, the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Paul Henry, President, Chartered Accountants Ireland said

“My heartiest congratulations to both winners. It is in all our hands to create a strong and sustainable accountancy profession into the future and Aisling and Caroline’s achievements at a still relatively early stage in their careers are to be commended. I look forward to following their achievements in the coming years, and on behalf of the Institute I wish them success in their engagements in Munich in July. We are fortunate as a profession to be so ably represented on a global stage.”

Aisling McCaffrey, Associate Director with Grant Thornton is originally from Holywood, Co. Down and works in Dublin. A member of the FinBiz2030 Irish taskforce, she is also a NextGen committee member for 100 Women in Finance, a global network of professionals in finance working together to empower women at every stage of their career. Sport also plays a huge role in her life. A tag rugby player, she has represented Ireland in two World Cups and is a World Cup silver medal winner. 

Her work to support the Sustainable Development Goals is focused on achieving gender equality (SDG 5) and empowering women and girls, as well as climate action (SDG 13). She currently acts as project manager for the team responsible for the creation of the Green Team Network – a forum for connection and empowering change towards a sustainable environment within the Irish Funds Industry. In Grant Thornton, she sits on an internal ESG working group through which she promotes sustainable activity across the firm.

Aisling commented

“I feel really proud and humbled to have been awarded Chartered Star for 2020/21 by Chartered Accountants Ireland. My qualification has provided me with technical knowledge and skills that I have been able to utilise in all aspects of my life and I am delighted to be representing the profession on an international stage at the One Young World Summit. I am really excited to collaborate with other young leaders at the summit who are passionate about making a social impact and finding effective solutions to global issues.”

Fellow winner, Caroline McGroary, originally from Donegal, is an Assistant Professor of Accounting with DCU. Before joining DCU she trained as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte. Over the last seven years she has worked between Ireland and Saudi Arabia through a partnership between DCU and Princess Norah University (PNU), the largest female only university in the world. Caroline particularly impressed the judging panel with an initiative she developed to help women at risk of financial exclusion in Saudi Arabia. The initiative, which was supported at governmental level, had a social media campaign which reached over 1 million users, was nominated for a number of awards and was presented at international conferences.

Her work to support the UN SDGs is focused on SDG 4 Quality Education and SDG 5 Gender Equality by improving the financial literacy levels of students; educating students about the UN SDGs; empowering them to help achieve the goals through community engagement; while her PhD research is centered around professional education. In addition, Caroline promotes the UN SDGs in the business community in Saudi Arabia and Ireland, and was a founding member of the Irish Business Network - Saudi Arabia.

Caroline commented

“This is an award that I am immensely proud to hold and I look forward to representing the profession at the One Young World Summit in Munich, in 2021. I hope to use this summit as a platform to meet with leaders and activists from all over the world, and to identify ways in which we can work together to achieve impact. I'm also looking forward to working with the FinBiz2030 taskforce, whose aim is to mobilise the finance and business community globally to help achieve the UN SDGs.”

ENDS 

About Chartered Accountants Ireland

Chartered Accountants Ireland is Ireland’s leading professional accountancy body, representing 28,500 influential members around the world and educating 7,000 students. The Institute aims to create opportunities for members and students, and ethical, sustainable prosperity for society. An all-island body, Chartered Accountants Ireland was established by Royal Charter in 1888 and now has members in more than 90 countries. It is a founding member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, the international network of over one million chartered accountants. It also plays key roles in the Global Accounting Alliance, Accountancy Europe and the International Federation of Accountants. 

About One Young World:

One Young World is an international conference that brings together inspiring young people from 190+ countries that are committed to making a difference.

The summit will take place in Munich in July 2021. One Young World provides a platform for young leaders to speak alongside Presidents, Nobel Prize Winners, Global business leaders and other inspiring global leaders. Delegates are an international cohort, sharing their impactful work, personal experiences, views and opinions with around 1,300 Summit attendees and an audience watching around the world.

The latest news to your inbox

Useful links

  • Current students
  • Becoming a student
  • Knowledge centre
  • Shop
  • District societies

Get in touch

Dublin HQ

Chartered Accountants
House, 47-49 Pearse St,
Dublin 2, D02 YN40, Ireland

TEL: +353 1 637 7200
Belfast HQ

The Linenhall
32-38 Linenhall Street, Belfast,
Antrim, BT2 8BG, United Kingdom

TEL: +44 28 9043 5840

Connect with us

Something wrong?

Is the website not looking right/working right for you?
Browser support
CAW Footer Logo-min
GAA Footer Logo-min
CCAB-I Footer Logo-min
ABN_Logo-min

© Copyright Chartered Accountants Ireland 2020. All Rights Reserved.

☰
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy statement
  • Event privacy notice
  • Sitemap
LOADING...

Please wait while the page loads.