The Irish Maths Olympiad and Free Maths Enrichment Classes
Quick answer: The Irish Mathematical Olympiad (IrMO) is Ireland's national maths competition for secondary school students, run by the Irish Maths Trust. Universities run free maths enrichment classes that train students for it. The final round of the 40th IrMO is on Saturday 23 January 2027. Top performers are invited to further training, which leads to selection for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held in Budapest from 16 to 26 July 2027.
What the IrMO is
The Irish Maths Trust, a charity of more than 80 mathematicians from across Ireland, runs the IrMO. The Irish Examiner describes it as "the gateway" for top students to represent Ireland at the International Maths Olympiad (Irish Examiner, November 2025).
At the 2025 IMO, Ireland had its best-ever performance: two silver medals and one bronze (Irish Examiner).
Free maths enrichment classes
Several universities run free weekly classes for strong secondary students. Two examples from 2026-27:
UCD (Dublin): Saturday mornings, 10:30am to 1pm. Free, with no entry test; students register online (UCD Maths Enrichment).
ATU Sligo: Wednesday evenings, 7pm to 9:30pm, from 7 October to 16 December 2026. Free. Aimed mainly at TY, 5th and 6th Year students who are comfortable with Junior Cycle maths (ATU).
In November 2025, the Irish Examiner reported that sponsorship from Stripe would fund seven new junior maths enrichment centres, adding to those in Cork and Dublin, in Waterford, Tralee, Thurles, Galway, Maynooth, Sligo and Letterkenny (Irish Examiner).
Check with your nearest university for current class times; they change each year.
How students get to the IrMO final
The routes differ slightly by centre:
At ATU Sligo, Round 1 was held in second-level schools in September 2026, and top performers were invited to the enrichment course (ATU).
At UCD, students must register for and pass a pre-qualification test on 5 December 2026 to sit the IrMO in January. Attending classes isn't required to sit the test (UCD).
The IrMO final on 23 January 2027 has two papers, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
From the IrMO to the IMO
According to UCD's page (UCD):
After the IrMO, the Irish Maths Trust publishes a Roll of Honour of top performers.
Teams for the European Girls' Maths Olympiad and the European Maths Olympiad are selected based on IrMO results.
Roll of Honour students are invited to further training in February and March, which leads to selection for the IMO (16–26 July 2027, Budapest).
What olympiad problems look like
Olympiad questions aren't like Leaving Cert questions. They need creative reasoning and proof, not just methods.
A warm-up problem
What is the last digit of 7²⁰²⁷?
The last digits of powers of 7 repeat in a cycle of four: 7, 9, 3, 1.
2027 ÷ 4 leaves a remainder of 3, so the last digit matches 7³ = 343. The last digit is 3.
A full olympiad answer would explain why the cycle repeats, not just spot it.
How to prepare
Join a free enrichment class near you if there is one.
Practise past olympiad-style problems and time yourself on them.
Learn to write proofs. Explain every step so another person could follow it.
Study core olympiad areas: number theory, combinatorics, geometry and inequalities.
Be patient. Hard problems can take an hour or more. That's normal.
Preparation tips are MMS editorial guidance.
Is it worth it if you don't make the team?
Yes, for many students. Olympiad-style problem solving builds the reasoning that helps in Higher Level maths and in college courses like maths, physics, engineering and computer science. And the enrichment classes are free.
When extra support might help
A tutor can help a strong student move beyond the syllabus, practise proof writing, and keep Leaving Cert maths on track alongside olympiad work. Math Make Smart offers online maths grinds and Leaving Cert support, and you can book a free grind. For exam-focused help, see our Higher vs Ordinary Level guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Irish Maths Olympiad?
The final round is on Saturday 23 January 2027.
Are maths enrichment classes free?
Yes, the university programmes described here are free.
Who can enter the IrMO?
Secondary school students. Entry routes vary: through a school-based first round or a pre-qualification test, depending on the centre.
How is the Irish IMO team chosen?
Through IrMO results, then further training and selection in spring.