Ireland’s Rankings 1988-2020
| Year | Ranking |
| 1988 | 43 |
| 1989 | 45 |
| 1990 | 40 |
| 1991 | 44 |
| 1992 | 41 |
| 1993 | 50 |
| 1994 | 49 |
| 1995 | 61 |
| 1996 | 61 |
| 1997 | 68 |
| 1998 | 58 |
| 1999 | 62 |
| 2000 | 69 |
| 2001 | 63 |
| 2002 | 70 |
| 2003 | 74 |
| 2004 | 66 |
| 2005 | 51 |
| 2006 | 67 |
| 2007 | 63 |
| 2008 | 70 |
| 2009 | 89 |
| 2010 | 89 |
| 2011 | 87 |
| 2012 | 78 |
| 2013 | 76 |
| 2014 | 64 |
| 2015 | 77 |
| 2016 | 75 |
| 2017 | 62 |
| 2018 | 76 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2020 | 70 |
Report
The International Maths Olympiad in an Annual Maths Competition featuring countries from all around the world. Ireland first competed in 1988 and in the team’s 32nd IMO Competition in 2019 finished 71st with Lucas Bachmann winning a silver medal among the 621 competitors from 112 countries. Lucas was born and brought up in Switzerland, then lived in China before his family moved to Ireland for work purposes four years previously.
Having studied Maths in three different countries he thinks that Maths in Ireland is too easy and just involves remembering and regurgatating information in the exams and does not involve enough analytical thinking. He was a student at Glenstal Abbey in Co. Limerick while competing in the IMO and becoming the second Irish team member to gain a silver medal. Ireland have also gained 10 bronze medals, including two in 2017: Cillian Doherty and Anna Mustata.
The International Maths Olympiad is held with particular prestige in East Asia, including China, Thailand, South Korea, North Korea and three of the six-member Irish team in 2019 were born in China. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959.
References
Logos
[1] International Maths Olympiad (2021) IMOLogo [Internet] Available from: http://www.imo-official.org/IMOLogo.gif [Accessed 9 June 2021]
Websites
[2] International Maths Olympiad (2021) Countries Rankings by Year: IRL [Internet] Available from: http://www.imo-official.org/results.aspx [Accessed 9 June 2021]
[3] Irish Maths Olympiad (2021) Limerick-based student wins silver at International Mathematical Olympiad [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/limerick-based-student-wins-silver-at-international-mathematical-olympiad-1.3967370 [Accessed 9 June 2021]
[4] RTE (2019) Two Irish Students win Bronze at Maths Olympiad [Internet] Available from: https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0724/892601-two-irish-students-win-bronze-at-maths-olympiad/ [Accessed 9 June 2021]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dara Connolly-Mulcahy.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 9 June 2021
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2021.
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.