Students from St Paul’s High School joined Minister for the Economy, Conor Murphy MLA to showcase that maths and numeracy can be fun for all as Maths Week Ireland 2024 kicks off its progamme of events. 

The all-island festival, now its 19th year, sets out to promote a positive attitude towards maths and its practical applications. This year, Maths Week is inviting people to try out their maths and have fun with numbers, patterns and shapes, which are all around us in everyday life.

Last year Maths Week engaged with over 500,000 people and already over 475,000 people have registered to participate in a week packed with hundreds of online and in person eventsinvolving primary, secondary and university students as well as the wider public. A range of online activities and resources is also available and ‘Maths Week TV’ will stream daily shows and interactive sessions to schools all over the island.

Standout events locally include a special schools’ maths extravaganza in the iconic Guildhall, Derry~Londonderrywhen students from a range of schools and colleges will participate in giant maths puzzles and games. PWC in Belfast is hosting a presentation for secondary schools celebrating 50 years of the Rubik’s Cube, whilst Stranmillis University College are inviting teachers and parents to join a webinar focussing on Dyscalculia and Maths Difficulties.

For park visitors and walkers, special maths trails featuring puzzle pop-ups will be installed in a number of parks in Derry and Belfast. The week culminates locally with Maths in the City from 11am at Victoria Square Belfast on Saturday 19th October. Free to everyone, shoppers of all ages are invited to join maths magicians and presenters in the Maths Week Hub to enjoy brain teasers and maths crafts.

The Department for the Economy is supporting Maths Week’s programme of events locally, and Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: 

“With the need for increased numbers of skilled workers with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths qualifications Maths Week is a great opportunity to focus attention on how good maths skills can open a variety of career choices, which are often well paid. My Department’s support towards the Maths Week initiative here in the North, will help stimulate interest in STEM, raise awareness of and promote STEM-related career pathways, and provide a platform for further skills development.”

St Paul’s High School, Head of Maths Mrs Áine Kearney said:

“St Paul’s students and teachers are thrilled to help launch this year’s Maths Week Ireland. We’ve participated in Maths Week annually for many years and pupils engage in mathematical activities across a wide range of subjects throughout the week.”

Director of Maths Week Ireland, Eoin Gill, highlighted the festival’s role in showcasing the practical side of maths: 

“Maths Week is an opportunity to demonstrate that maths is not just an abstract subject, but a vital tool that influences every part of our lives. Maths skills allow us to understand and evaluate data and helps us to become good problem solvers – key skills in today’s world. Maths Week allows us to celebrate maths in a way that’s both fun and educational.”

Maths Week is a partnership of higher and further education and other groups concerned with maths and is co-ordinated by Calmast, the STEM Engagement Centre at South East Technological University. It is supported by Research Ireland (Taighde Éireann), the Department of Education (RoI) AMD and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.

The full programme and detail of how to get involved are available on the Maths Week website www.mathsweek.ie.

 For event and programme updates follow @MathsWeek on Facebook, @mathsireland on Instagram, @mathsweek on TikTok and @mathsweek and #mathsweek2024 on X.