Mr. Declan McCourt, RIP
The Sutherland School of Law is greatly saddened by the sudden death of the Chair of our Development Council, Mr. Declan McCourt, BA, MA, MBA, BL, PhD (hon. causa). Declan has been an outstanding friend to the School over many years in his role of Chair of the Development Council, the advisory board to the Dean. Declan worked tirelessly to advance the ambitions of the School on all fronts, showing an astute sensitivity to our education and scholarly ethos. Despite this being an entirely voluntary role, he was always on hand for the many Deans who worked with the Development Council over the years: Niamh Howlin, John Jackson, Imelda Maher, Joe McMahon, Paul O’Connor, Laurent Pech and Colin Scott. Declan was seminal in supporting key initiatives in the School, most notably the new law building. He worked with enthusiasm, focus and determination with the UCD President, the UCD Foundation, four Deans and the Academic Director to secure philanthropic support to realise the vision of the project, culminating in the first purpose-built law school in Ireland since the Kings Inns opened in 1700.
In addition to bringing his outstanding business acumen to School, he and the Walsh family were donors to the building, creating a lecture series and LLM scholarship to honour the eminent jurist and Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice Brian Walsh.
Declan was conferred with an honorary LLD in 2013, two years after the opening of the Sutherland School building. He continued to chair the Council and support new philanthropic initiatives that have advanced equality of opportunity within the School and transformed the lives of students through scholarships and bursaries. It is a fitting tribute to Declan that in our recent quality review, the assessors noted the importance of the Development Council and the support it has given to the School.
A distinguished and highly successful businessman, Declan remained committed to public service and to the importance of education and scholarship in general and in UCD Sutherland School of Law in particular. His dedication and generosity over many years have left a legacy of real, lasting, and beneficial difference to Irish society. We will miss his astute judgement, dynamism, boundless energy and wonderful good humour.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Margaret, his family and friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.