One of Ireland's most celebrated theologians and social writers and commentators, Revd Prof Enda McDonagh, has been appointed independent chairperson of University College Cork's governing body, making UCC the second Irish university to have an independently chaired governing authority.

University governing bodies were empowered to split the post of president from that of chairperson of the governing authority, and appoint an "outside" chair, under the terms of the 1997 Universities Act. This is McDonagh's second term of office as UCC's independent chairperson. According to Prof Gerry Wrixon, the university's president: "He has proved a tremendous asset to the university." McDonagh was first appointed chair of UCC's governing body in 1999. His new appointment is due to expire in 2004.