FCPA FCA , Managing Director

Cormac Fitzgerald FCPA, FCA is a highly experienced Chartered Accountant, entrepreneur, and trusted business advisor with over 26 years’ experience supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across a wide range of sectors. He is Managing Director of Fitzgerald & Partners Chartered Accountants, a partner-led accounting and advisory firm focused on delivering practical financial leadership, strong governance, and strategic guidance to entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses.

Under Cormac’s leadership, Fitzgerald & Partners Chartered Accountants has built a reputation for technical excellence, trusted relationships, and commercially focused advice. The firm specialises in advising SMEs on taxation, corporate governance, restructuring, and strategic planning, working closely with business owners to support sustainable growth, succession planning, and long-term business success. He is also a statutory auditor.

Cormac studied at Munster Technological University and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and a Fellow of CPA Ireland. He has held several senior leadership roles within the profession, including Past President of CPA Ireland, former Chair of the Munster CPA Society, and past Chair of the CPA Ireland SME/SMP Committee. These roles reflect his standing within the profession and his commitment to maintaining high standards, supporting SMEs, and promoting trusted business leadership.

Cormac is a Board Member and National Council Member of ISME, where he contributes to national policy discussions and advocacy on behalf of the SME sector. He is widely recognised as a thought leader on SME matters and has spoken nationally and internationally on entrepreneurship, governance, and business resilience. He was invited as a guest speaker at the ICA India International Conference, addressing over 2,500 accountants on supporting SMEs in Ireland and the role of advisors in strengthening the SME sector.

A former KPMG Cork Businessperson of the Year, Cormac advises a diverse portfolio of private clients, including high-net-worth individuals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and leading Irish brands, providing confidential and strategic guidance. He is particularly passionate about supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening governance in owner-managed businesses, and helping SMEs scale sustainably. He co authored a book Smart Tips for SMEs with leading economist Jim Power in 2021 understanding the SME environment in an Irish context.

Cormac is also deeply committed to community leadership. He serves on the Finance Committee of the CUH Charity and is President of Kinsale & District Lions Club, which under his leadership recently received a Lions Clubs International Club Excellence Award. His involvement reflects his belief that trusted professional leadership should extend beyond business and contribute positively to the wider community.

Known for his approachable manner and practical, solutions-focused advice, Cormac combines professional expertise with a genuine commitment to supporting clients, entrepreneurs, and local communities. He is married to Valerie Fitzgerald and has two children, Sarah and Cillian.

MBA, Account Manager

Lisa Whelton is a member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She graduated from Cork Institute of Technology in 2014 with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting Honours Degree. She then went onto complete a Masters in Management Information and Managerial Accounting Systems in University College Cork. She has worked in practice for 5 years before she joined Fitzgerald & Partners.

Lisa has knowledge and experience in a wide range of areas, including VAT, year-end accounts from working with clients across various different industries. Dealing with small, medium and large clients.

Office Manager

Linda commenced working in Fitzgerald & Partners in August, 2006 and has previously worked for a range of small and medium sized offices over the years in Cork and abroad and has over twenty years’ experience, primarily as office administrator working with clients across a variety of sectors including dealing with clients on the telephone, general office administration including preparation and posting of invoices and quotations, organising meetings, setting up appointments, the organisation of filing, Dictaphone typing and some book-keeping. My previous work experience has enabled me to deal hands on with a wide variety of customer queries from which I have developed many skills in communication and customer relations. Experienced at time management and prioritising tasks to accomplish projects efficiently and meet deadlines. Also helping out in local voluntary charity projects as needed.

Sarah Mullins is the newest addition to our team at Fitzgerald & Partners. She moved to Kinsale from Texas with her husband in the summer of 2025. Sarah has held several bookkeeping and administrative roles with a strong focus on finance, and she brings over 10 years of experience supporting accountants and helping businesses manage their day-to-day financial records. She works with our team across payroll, bookkeeping, and administrative support for our SME clients.