Discovery, Creativity & Adventure
About Us
Learning through discovery, creativity and adventure is the corner stone of our educational philosophy, promoting critical thinking, problem solving and educated risk taking through challenging, stimulating, intensive programmes and residential summer camps (Age range 8-17 yrs).
Connemara Maths Academy was founded by Aengus O’Connor in 2013 initially to help students in Ireland become inspired, creative, problem solving students and to be fluent in key mathematical concepts through imaginative, multi disciplinary approaches to learning, utilising various disciplines from film production to music technology while exploring key mathematical concepts.
CMA’s programmes have since developed to further include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths) related elements such as 3D Modelling & Printing, Rocket Building, Robotics, Music Technology and Stop Motion Animation. During the academic year September to June, CMA works with schools around the country such as Ireland’s premier secondary school Glenstal Abbey where CMA visit schools and deliver workshops. CMA also offer customised residential programmes To schools and groups in Connemara, where it is based.
CMA Residential Summer Camps have three key elements, namely STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths) Workshops, Adventure Activities and Team Sports.

Learn Through Discovery, Creativity and Adventure
At CMA we create unique learning environments where students can feel comfortable, confident and inspired to explore key concepts through hands on, interactive and highly visual workshops while having a brilliant time packed with fun filled activities and amazing outcomes led by our wonderful team of educators, teachers and activity leaders.
For example, students will be looking at geometric transformations in x,y,z planes during their 3D Modelling and 3D Printing workshops. Students can use GoPro cameras while surfing and work out their speed later using the footage they’ve captured; they can also use the GoPro surfing footage as part of their Green Screen Production workshop, where students produce their own news TV broadcast using green screen technology and whatever footage they’d like to include, such as surfing. Music composed and recorded in Music Tech workshops can be used in their Film Production workshop, or indeed used as the intro music for their news broadcast.
Students can look forward to exploring key concepts in various workshops such as exploring key trigonometric concepts in music technology workshops; looking at patterns/series through art; or geometry though coding and robotics. The sky is the limit.
Whether building rockets, producing a green screen TV broadcast or designing a remote controlled robot; or indeed surfing on the Wild Atlantic Way or hanging off a rope on the assault course, CMA students have the time of their lives.
At CMA our aim is to help students become fluent in key concepts, enabling students to free their minds of the rote learning shackles and to become inspired, creative, problem solving students where mathematics becomes a happy and joyful experience, confidence in key concepts becomes a reality and career choices expand enormously. We encourage students to learn through discovery, creativity and adventure, with an emphasis on experiential learning and visualisation while making as many world and real life connections with the key mathematical concepts as possible, paving the way for students to acquire a more fluent and confident approach to mathematics and other related subjects.
‘Máthēma’: ‘That Which One Learns’
The ancient Greek word means ‘that which one learns’ and in modern Greek simply means ‘lesson’. There have been many other definitions since then such as Aristotle’s definition ‘the science of quantity’ up to as late as 1870 with Benjamin Peirce’s ‘the science that draws necessary conclusions’. Whichever definition one prefers, mathematics can be seen as a fundamental philosophy whereby people can understand the world around them enabling them to aspire to be masters of their own destiny, whether it be through a university degree they would ideally like to complete or a career they would love to follow or a business idea they have and need to be equipped to pursue.
At CMA our aim is to help students become fluent in key concepts, enabling students to free their minds of the rote learning shackles and to become inspired, creative, problem solving students where mathematics becomes a happy and joyful experience, confidence in key concepts becomes a reality and career choices expand enormously. We encourage students to learn through discovery, creativity and adventure, with an emphasis on experiential learning and visualisation while making as many world and real life connections with the key mathematical concepts as possible, paving the way for students to acquire a more fluent and confident approach to mathematics and other related subjects.
Above all though, at CMA our aim is that our students have an incredible time with us, make great friends and want to come back.
Fluency, Confidence and Success
CMA caters for all abilities and those who find maths and science concepts easier than most, can enjoy an entirely new approach to exploring these concepts and thus further enhance their understanding and appreciation of them. Many students have an uncomfortable relationship with mathematics and science which can result in a weak understanding of key mathematical and science concepts, limiting subject selections, narrowing career choices and stunting academic growth; in many instances the effect can last for life.
When students have grasped the key concepts and are comfortable with them, their career choices are increased many fold, leading to happier and more satisfied citizens. Regardless of whether a student has an academic career path in his/her sights or perhaps a career in a trade or business, having a fluency in the key mathematical concepts will go a long way to achieving these goals.
Through our technology centered and facilitated learning workshops and lessons, coupled with our commitment to fluency and confidence in the key concepts supported by our mathematically connected physical and artistic activity based curriculum, students will complete our courses with a renewed enthusiasm for learning and a crucial confidence in their own mathematical ability.