About

The Author - Oliver Murphy

Oliver Murphy has been a teacher of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics (as well as Ancient Greek) for over 40 years. He is the author of Fundamental Applied Mathematics, the best-selling Applied Maths book ever in Ireland. He is also on the team of teachers who have written the Active Maths series – this series is also the best-selling series for Project Maths at all levels.

Oliver Murphy taught for 33 years in Belvedere College and the Institute of Education, making his mark as a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher of Maths and Applied Maths.

In 2009, Oliver Murphy was appointed Headmaster of St Vincent’s Castleknock College, but now works in the Institute of Education. Castleknock College was one of the 24 pilot schools for Project Maths and many of the other authors of the Active Maths series are teachers at this great school. Castleknock College has a cohort of excellent teachers (in all subjects) and has gone from strength to strength in recent years. It is widely regarded as one of the best colleges in the country. Since retiring as headmaster of Castleknock College, Oliver has worked at the Institute of Education, teaching Applied Maths, Maths and Bridge.

In 1998, Oliver Murphy was the first winner of the Victor Graham Perpetual Trophy for achievement in Applied Mathematics, awarded by the Institute for Numerical and Computational Analysis.

In 2005, Oliver Murphy was the first Chairman of the newly-formed Irish Applied Maths Teachers’ Association (IAMTA). This organisation is both vibrant and innovative. It awards 3 gold medals for the top three students in Applied Maths each year (kindly sponsored by the Ray Kearns Benevolent fund and the Institute of Education). It runs nationwide Table Quizzes in Applied maths – one for 5th & 6th Years and the other for 3rd & 4th Years.

The IAMTA has a representative on the NCCA committee which looks at Maths & Applied Maths. The IAMTA takes its role here seriously – it is not going to let this subject (which has served Ireland and its students so well for almost a century) be downgraded or obliterated. Its website can be visited by clicking IAMTA.ie

Oliver Murphy went to Gonzaga College where he had three outstanding teachers: Joe Veale SJ for English, John Wilson TD for Greek – but most significantly of all: Ray Kearns for Maths. Ray Kearns was a teacher ahead of his time: a man who taught the subject for meaning and whose classes were always interesting, well-prepared and fun!