{{Infobox organization | name = Maths Week Ireland | image = | image_size = | abbreviation = MWI | caption = | founders = Sheila Donegan and Eoin Gill | type = | founded = 2006 | location = | origins = | key_people = '''Sheila Donegan'''<br/>Director of CALMAST<br/>'''Eoin Gill'''<br/>Coordinator of MWI<br/>'''Cordula Weiss'''<br/>Programme Manager CALMAST <br/>'''Rosario Burke'''<br/>Educational Resources Manager<br/>'''Diane Murphey'''<br/>Educational Resources Manager<br/>'''Ben Dolan'''<br/>Digital Engagement Manager | region_served = both parts of Ireland | products = | services = | focus = promote awareness, appreciation and understanding of maths through a huge variety of events | method = | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | board_of_directors = | subsid = | owner = | website = [https://www.mathsweek.ie/2020/ mathsweek.ie] | former_name = | footnotes = }} '''Maths Week Ireland''' (MWI) is an annual all-island ([[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]]) mathematics outreach initiative which takes place throughout Ireland each October. It was founded in 2006 by [[Waterford Institute of Technology]] (now SETU) staff members Eoin Gill and Sheila Donegan (based on an idea by Gill), and is a project of that institution's STEM outreach '''C'''entre for the '''A'''dvancement of '''L'''earning of '''M'''aths, '''S'''cience and '''T'''echnology (CALMAST). Gill (an engineer) and Donegan (a chemist) continue to direct and run MWI.<ref name=biggest>[https://www.techcentral.ie/maths-week-co-founder-dr-sheila-donegan-named-stem-businesswoman-of-the-year/ Maths Week co-founder Dr Sheila Donegan named STEM businesswoman of the year] techcentral.ie, 30 September 2019</ref>
In 2019 MWI engaged over 400,000 people on an island with a population of under 7 million and is arguably the world's largest mathematics festival.<ref name=SFI>[https://www.sfi.ie/research-news/news/maths-week-ireland-2018/ Maths Week Ireland 2018 – The world’s largest maths festival launches and is set to engage 300,000 people] Science Foundation Ireland</ref><ref name=home2020>[https://www.mathsweek.ie/2019/mathsweek_2020/ Home Page 2020] Maths Week Ireland</ref>
==Purpose== MWI is a partnership of over 50 organizations dedicated to promoting and celebrating mathematics across the island of Ireland, including universities, institutes of technology, colleges, museums, libraries, visitor centres, and other professional bodies.<ref name=home2017>[https://www.mathsweek.ie/2017/about Home Page 2017] Maths Week Ireland</ref> Maths Week Ireland is currently supported by the Irish Government’s Department of Education and Taighde Eireann, Research Ireland (formerly SFI), and the Northern Ireland government’s Department for the Economy and technology company AMD.<ref name=2020_award/>
MWI targets school and universities, as well as hosting weekend "street fairs" in cities such as [[Dublin]], [[Belfast]] and [[Cork (city)|Cork]].<ref name=home2017/><ref name=home2018>[http://www.sfi.ie/research-news/news/maths-week-ireland-2018/ Maths Week Ireland 2018–The world’s largest maths festival] Science Foundation Ireland 2018</ref> Events are run by the participants with materials delivered online by Maths Week Ireland. Most schools run their own special activities. Maths Week is a nine-day event (a Saturday to the Sunday of the following weekend, inclusive) which always includes the 16th of October, the day in 1843 when William R. Hamilton discovered quaternions.<ref name=SFI/> The idea has been so successful that it has now been replicated in England and Scotland.<ref name=MWI2020/>
MWI hosts the Maths Ireland website which is home to the monthly blogs<ref>[http://www.mathsireland.ie/blog monthly blogs] at Mathematics Ireland</ref> of the '''Annals of Irish Mathematics & Mathematicians''' (AIMM), authored by [[Colm Mulcahy]].<ref>[http://www.mathsireland.ie/annals-of-irish-mathematics-mathematicians/atlas Atlas of Irish Mathematicians] at Mathematics Ireland</ref>
Starting in 2016, MWI has also produced the annual Irish Maths Calendars which are also archived at the '''Maths Ireland site'''.<ref>[http://www.mathsireland.ie/annals-of-irish-mathematics-mathematicians/irish-maths-calendar Irish Maths (wall) Calendars] at Mathematics Ireland</ref>
==Presenters== Mathematicians and mathematics popularizers who have been MWI presenters include: {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * [[David Acheson (mathematician)|David Acheson]]<ref name=MWI_2012>[https://aperiodical.com/2012/10/maths-week-ireland-2012/ Maths Week Ireland 2012] The Aperiodical, 27 October 2012</ref> * [[John D. Barrow]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/why-being-a-lefty-is-all-right-when-it-comes-to-sport-1.552810 Why Being a Lefty is All Right When it Comes to Sport] The Irish Times, 16 October 2012</ref> * [[Christopher Budd (mathematician)|Chris Budd]] * [[Eugenia Cheng]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/maths-week-pianist-on-a-numerical-mission-1.2392101 Maths Week Pianist on a Numerical Mission] The Irish Times, 14 October 2015</ref> * [[Keith Devlin]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/maths-week-events-take-place-throughout-ireland-today-1.1560126 Maths Week Events Take Place Throughout Ireland Today] The Irish Times, 14 October 2013</ref> * [[Rob Eastaway]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/business/the-sum-of-all-parts-1.731701 The Sum of All Parts] The Irish Times, 04 September 2009</ref> * [[Raymond Flood (mathematician)|Raymond Flood]] * James Grime * Tiago Hirth * Andrew Jeffrey * [[Colm Mulcahy]]<ref name=MWI_2012/> * [[Matt Parker]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/clowns-puzzles-and-teasers-for-maths-week-1.1961594 Clowns Puzzles and Teasers for Maths Week] The Irish Times, 13 October 2014</ref> * [[Kjartan Poskitt]]<ref name=MWI2020/> * Mark Saul * [[Marcus du Sautoy]]<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/maths-often-at-root-of-creative-endeavours-says-professor-1.662379 Maths Often at Root of Creative Endeavours Says Professor] The Irish Times, 12 October 2010</ref> * [[Bobby Seagull]]<ref name=MWI2020/> * [[David Singmaster]] * Katie Steckles * [[James Tanton]]<ref name=MWI2020>[https://www.sfi.ie/research-news/news/maths-week-2020/ Maths Week 2020 launches with bumper programme of activity to help people ‘Rethink Maths’] [[Science Foundation Ireland]]</ref> * [[Robin Wilson (mathematician)|Robin Wilson]] * Colin Wright {{div col end}}
==Maths Week Ireland Award== In 2016 MWI inaugurated the annual Maths Week Ireland Award to honor outstanding work in raising public awareness of mathematics. The award is presented during Maths Week Ireland.<ref>[https://www.mathsweek.ie/2019/5622-2/ Maths Week Ireland Award] Maths Week Ireland</ref> Awardees so far are:
* 2025: Paul Nugent<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-20 |title=Sutton teacher honoured with 2025 Maths Week Ireland Award |url=https://dublingazette.com/dublinlocalmatters/news/sutton-teacher-honoured-with-2025-maths-week-ireland-award/ |access-date=2025-10-22 |website=Dublin Gazette |language=en-IE}}</ref> * 2024: [[Colm Mulcahy]]<ref name=award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/science/2024/10/21/prof-colm-mulcahy-wins-2024-maths-week-ireland-award-for-exceptional-contribution-while-bringing-fun-to-maths/ Prof Colm Mulcahy wins 2024 Maths Week Ireland Award for exceptional contribution while bringing fun to maths] The Irish Times, Oct 21 2024</ref> *2023: Ciaran O'Sullivan and Terry Maguire<ref>[https://www.tudublin.ie/explore/faculties-and-schools/computing-digital-data/mathematics-and-statistics/news/tu-dublin-lecturer-wins-mathsweek-award.php TU Dublin lecturer wins Mathsweek award], School of Mathematics and Statistics, Technological University Dublin, 19 Oct, 2023</ref> *2022: Rafael de Andrade Moral<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-20 |title=Statistics Lecturer Rafael De Andrade Moral receives Maths Week Ireland Award for Raising Public Awareness of Maths |url=https://www.mathsweek.ie/2022/award-public-awareness-of-maths/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=MATHS WEEK IRELAND |language=en-IE}}</ref> *2021: [[Dara Ó Briain]]<ref name=2021_award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/dara-o-briain-receives-maths-week-ireland-award-1.4705690 Dara Ó Briain receives Maths Week Ireland award] The Irish Times, 20 October 2021</ref> *2020: [[Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin]]<ref name=2020_award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/aoibhinn-n%C3%AD-sh%C3%BAilleabh%C3%A1in-receives-2020-maths-week-ireland-award-1.4381047 Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin receives 2020 Maths Week Ireland award] The Irish Times, 14 October 2020</ref> *2019: Mark McCartney<ref name=2019_award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/ulster-university-mathematician-receives-award-for-raising-public-awareness-of-maths-1.4065123 Ulster University Mathematician Receives Award For Raising Public Awareness Of Maths] The Irish Times, 28 October 2019 </ref> *2018: [[Tony O'Farrell|Anthony O’Farrell]] and Fiacre Ó Cairbre who founded the annual [[Hamilton Walk]]<ref name=2018_award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/irish-mathematicians-receive-maths-week-ireland-award-1.3666531 Irish mathematicians receive Maths Week Ireland Award] The Irish Times, 18 October 2018</ref> *2017: [[Peter Lynch (meteorologist)|Peter Lynch]]<ref name=2017_award>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/peter-lynch-honoured-for-raising-awareness-of-maths-1.3261103 Peter Lynch honored for raising awareness of maths] [[The Irish Times]], 18 October 2017</ref> *2016: [[Des MacHale]]<ref name=2016_award>[https://www.siliconrepublic.com/discovery/des-machale-ucc-award-mobius-strip Irish mathematician Des MacHale honoured with Maths Week award] by Colm Gorey, Silicon Republic, 16 October 2016.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.mathsweek.ie/2020/ Maths Week Ireland Official Website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maths Week Ireland}} [[Category:Mathematics conferences]] [[Category:Educational organizations established in 2006]] [[Category:Annual events in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Annual events in Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Educational organizations established in the 2000s]]