We were saddened to hear of the death of UCD Professor Emerita Eunice McCarthy on December 30, 2025, at St Vincent’s Hospital, Elm Park.
Eunice was a towering figure in psychology nationally and internationally, playing a key role in the founding, development and success of the Psychological Society of Ireland, including serving as president in 1994/95.
She was the matriarch of work and coaching psychology in Ireland, working with Dr Joan Tiernan on the MA in Social and Organisational Psychology at UCD and founding the UCD Social and Organisational Psychology Research Centre.
Eunice was a trailblazer on many levels, and long before it was commonplace, she brought gender and women’s rights to the fore in the 1970s, shaping thinking, practice, and opportunity for those who followed.
Eunice is remembered by generations of graduates and staff of UCD as an inspirational and caring lecturer, supervisor and mentor and a wonderful colleague. She will be greatly missed by her wide circle of psychology friends, particularly within the PSI and the Division of Work and Organisational Psychology, and of course by those in our School and the wider UCD Community who knew and worked with her.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends, particularly her niece Kathryn who herself completed the BSc in Psychology and MA in Social and Organisation Psychology here in the School.
Our recent retired colleague Dr Joan Tiernan shared a wonderful memorial for Eunice on the Division of Work and Organisational Psychology’s LinkedIn page, which is available (opens in a new window)here
Photo credit: ©Laura Jean Zito
(opens in a new window)https://rip.ie/death-notice/condolences/professor-eunice-mccarthy