Maths = more than just a game of numbers! Celebrating 10 years of Maths Week Ireland

The All-Island festival of maths and numeracy, Maths Week Ireland returns next month for its 10^th successive year.  Kicking off on October 10^th and running until October 18^th, the week-long celebration will include a host of fun and exciting activities for children, parents, teachers, maths enthusiasts and people everywhere.

Marking its first decade, Maths Week is the largest festival of maths in the world with over one million people attending events over the first 10 years.  This year’s events were launched today by Education and Skills Minister, Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., and Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government, together with members of the Belvedere Youth Club in Dublin city centre who will also be taking part in Maths Week Ireland.

World renowned and locally acclaimed mathematicians will enlighten and entertain people of all ages in the wonder of maths through fun and interesting talks, games, teasers, challenges and magic maths shows. And, for those who can’t make it to an event, activities will also be available here and Twitter at @mathsweek.

The all-Island event is run in conjunction with partners including Science Foundation Ireland and the Department of Education and Skills, universities, institutes of technology, teacher training colleges, visitor centres, other groups and employers both North and South.

Launching Maths Week Ireland 2015, the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan T.D. said, “We can all agree that maths and numeracy are essential life skills, while also contributing to developments across a wide variety of STEM-related disciplines. Over the past decade of Maths Week, over one million pupils, students, teachers and members of the public have participated in activities across Ireland.  This unique and innovative national festival is contributing strongly to overall accessibility and awareness of the benefits and opportunities that maths provides for young people and I am delighted to wish this year’s event every success.”

Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government said: “Science Foundation Ireland is delighted to support Maths Week 2015. Maths is essential to Ireland achieving its potential as a global leader in science and engineering. By encouraging more young people to study and understand the relevance of maths we are making Ireland more internationally competitive and creating jobs.”

Eoin Gill, Maths Week Ireland Co-ordinator said:

“Over the past ten years we have had over 1 million people engaging with Maths Week Ireland, mainly primary and post-primary children, while helping them to have a more positive attitude towards maths.”

“We’re delighted to celebrate the 10^th annual Maths Week and to see this festival growing to the largest in the world.  It’s a true partnership of people working together for a common aim –  a very important aim to promote mathematics for all.”

“We started with just 13 partners and now we have over 50 groups including all of the universities and institutes of technology, teacher training colleges and many professional groups and visitor centres providing events and activities for all.”

“Maths Week shows what we can achieve through a concerted effort by all working together. Thankfully, we see a great improvement in interest in maths among our young people and Maths Week will continue to foster that interest as we enter our second decade.”

Eoin Gill added that the support of sponsors is central to the success of Maths Week.

“We simply would not be able to bring the positive message about maths to as many young people as we do reach, without the support of our sponsors, Department of Education and Skills,  Science Foundation Ireland, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland together with ESB, Xilinx and CRH.”

Co-ordinated by Calmast at Waterford Institute of Technology, Maths Week Ireland is run as a partnership of over 50 public and private sector institutions and groups, including the universities and institutes of technology, professional bodies, libraries and visitor centres who are committed to promoting an interest in mathematics, as well as many of Ireland’s flagship employers. It is an all-island event.