Irish Mathematical Society at 40 (Dec 2016)
"It was 40 years ago today..."
On 14 April 1976 the Irish Maths Soc came into being. In December of that year the first officers were elected, namely: the late Michael Hayes (UCD), Ted Hurley (then UCD, later UCG/NUIG), Finbarr Holland (UCC) and the late Trevor West (TCD).
Over the four decades since then, dozens of people have served as IMS officers, others helped with writing its constitution, designing its logo, and so on. You can find all of these people, together with key early inspirations and supporters—and the organizers and speakers from the April 2016 IMS meeting—in the collage below. A few other notable people have been sneaked in too.
Images created by Dan Bascelli, based on ideas by Arthur Céilí.
Replacing John, Ringo, Paul and George, respectively, are Michael Hayes (1938-2017), Ted Hurley, Finbarr Holland and Trevor West (1938-2012). The rest of the relevant people depicted can be identified using the numbered image guide and list below.
|
1. John Kennedy (1939?–1995) |
22. Pauline Mellon |
43. Steve Buckley |
|
2. Don McAlister |
23. Michel Vandyck |
44. David Malone |
|
3. Don McQuillan |
24. Rod Gow |
45. David Conlon |
|
4. Martin Newell |
25. Charles Nash |
46. Anca Mustata |
|
5. Tom Laffey |
26. – |
47. Stuart White |
|
6. Frank Hodnett (1939–2011) |
27. David Armitage |
48. Derek Kitson |
|
7. Phil Boland |
28. Russell Higgs |
49. Stephen Gardiner |
|
8. Ray Ryan |
29. Kevin Hutchinson |
50. Andreea Nicoara |
|
9. John Miller |
30. Eugene Gath |
51. Vladimir Dotsenko |
|
10. Sean Dineen |
31. Martin Mathieu |
52. George Stokes (1819–1903) |
|
11. Donal Hurley |
32. Gordon Lessells |
53. William Thomson (1824–1907) |
|
12. Tony O’Farrell |
33. David Wraith |
54. George Boole (1815–1864) |
|
13. Gerry Enright |
34. Maurine OReilly |
55. William R. Hamilton (1805-1865) |
|
14. Richard Timoney |
35. Ann O’Shea |
56. -- |
|
15. Pat Fitzpatrick |
36. Sean O’Rourke |
57. Eamon de Valera (1882–1975) |
|
16. Fergus Gaines (1939–2001) |
37. Sinead Breen |
58. Robert Boyle (1627–1691) |
|
17. Graham Ellis |
38. James Cruickshank |
59. Paul Clarke |
|
18. David Tipple |
39. Stephen Wills |
60. Edgar Harper (1880–1916) |
|
19. Brendan Goldsmith |
40. Rachel Quinlan |
61. – |
|
20. Joe Pule |
41. Michael Mackey |
62. – |
|
21. James Ward |
42. Goetz Pfeiffer |
A few other heads are shown, such as those of James McConnell (1915–1999, who helped the fledgling IMS get financial support from RIA) and Des MacHale (he designed the IMS logo in 1982).
Needless to say, the story of the IMS's founding, an accounting of all of its officers, and a preview of last April's 40th anniversary meeting, together make for a terrific song (or two). In the spring of 2016 two well-known songs from almost half a century earlier were re-purposed (with an extra verse) to this end. The lyrics are below. We suspect many readers know the Fab tune.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / With a Little Help From My Friends
Written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney, first recorded by the Beatles
Lyrics adapted below by Arthur Céilí.
It seems that the origins of the Irish Maths Soc can be traced to 1967….even if the “39 steps” weren’t taken until 14 April 1976.
Imaginative syllable emphasis choices are required below to get things to scan.
Note “Irish Maths Soc’s 40th Conference” is non-associative. The intended meaning here is “(Irish Maths Soc’s 40th) Conference” not “Irish Maths Soc’s (40th Conference)”.
And it should be said as “Irish Maths Soc’s FORT-ieth CON-ference”.
Likewise “Irish Maths Soc’s PRES-ent OFF-icers”.
Irish Maths Soc’s 40th Conference
It was forty years ago this year
That the Irish Maths Soc first appeared
They've been working hard for everyone
With a Bulletin second to none
So may I introduce to you
The lads you've known for all these years
Irish Maths Soc’s Present Officers
We're Irish Maths Soc’s Present Officers
We’ve planned this one for quite some time We're Irish Maths Soc’s Present Officers
This soc is really in its prime
Mackey Buckley Ma-lone, Pfeiffer and O’Farr-ell
Irish Maths Soc’s Present Officers
And so without much fanfare
This 40th we declare
Will be a lovely conference
Here’s Vladimir and Richard T
Who’ll be your gracious hosts
We really want to start the show
And we thought you might like to know
From Conlon, Kitson, White you will hear
As well as guys and gals from here
So let us introduce to you
The one and only IMS
Irish Maths Soc’s 40th conference
The Irish Maths Soc’s 40th conference
This meeting should be lots of crack
The Irish Maths Soc’s 40th conference
Sit back and let the speakers yack
Nico-ara, Quinlan, Gardiner, Mus-tata,
Ellis and O’Shea are all on track
It's wonderful to compere
It's certainly a skill
You're such a lovely audience
We'd like to make you life members
We'd love to do just that
We don't really want to stop the show
But we thought you might like to know
That our origins are quite well known
And we want set the perfect tone
So may we introduce to you
The one and only Trevor West’s
Irish Maths Soc’s early history
With A Little Help From Our Friends
What would you think if we had a maths soc
As well as the DIAS do’s?
Lend me your rooms and we'll organise talks
And we'll publish things you can peruse
Oh we’ll get by with a little help from our friends
Mm we’ll apply for a little help from our friends
Mm we’re gonna try with a little help from our friends
What was the TCD ’69 start?
(It was group reps and quantum stuff!)
UCC’s ‘71 counterpart?
(Complex functions, funny enough!)
Oh we got by with a little help from our friends
Mm we applied for a little help from our friends
Mm we just tried with a little help from our friends
(Did you need anybody?)
McConnell was a God send
(Any organisations?)
The RIA was our best friend
(Were there proceedings that all could enjoy?)
Matters spectral and numerical
(Were other volumes also deployed?)
Issues harmonic and top’logical
Oh we got by with a little help from our friends
Mm we applied for a little help from our friends
Oh we just tried with a little help from our friends
(Was there a constitution?)
We needed something like that.
(Who did all of that hard work?)
McQuillan, Lewis and me.
Oh we got by with a little help from our friends
Mm we applied for a little help from our friends
Oh we just tried with a little help from our friends
With a little help from our friends