A JUDGE at Northern Ireland's High Court has been appointed to a senior position at Trinity College Dublin.
It is hoped Sir Donnell Deeny's appointment as pro-chancellor, the highest accolade the university can bestow, will help a drive to encourage more northern students to move south.
A Trinity graduate, Lurgan-born Sir Donnell, left, is the presiding judge of the chancery division, a former high sheriff of Belfast and president of the ulster Architectural Heritage Society.
The Irish university Association has initiated a review of admissions criteria for Northern Ireland students.
This followed announcements by Trinity and Dublin City university that they would consider making it easier for northern students to win a place.
Trinity provost Dr Patrick Prendergast said there is a long tradition of connectivity between the college and the north.
"In many ways Trinity acted as a bridge between north and south and it fulfilled this important role through difficult times," he said.
"Representative of that tradition, Sir Donnell Deeny's election as pro-chancellor has particular resonance.
"As a Trinity graduate he also acts as a great example to prospective students as Trinity embarks on its Northern Ireland engagement programme, stimulating student mobility on the island of Ireland."
Sir Donnell said he was glad the provost was seeking ways to increase the numbers from Northern Ireland, which had "so much to contribute to Trinity and is indeed essential to cement its claim to be the premier university on this island".
"It is indeed paradoxical that at a time of excellent relations between north and south that partition should be thriving in the university sector of all places," he said.
Sir Donnell joins five other pro-chancellors at Trinity.