13 Matamaitic don Inbhuanaitheacht – An Irish-language Interdisciplinary Sustainability Module

Dr Fintan Hegarty introduces Matamaitic don Inbhuanaitheacht, a unique five-credit module taught entirely through the Irish language that integrates mathematics, programming, and sustainability. Developed within the College of Science and Engineering, the module provides opportunities for students to maintain and expand their use of Irish while engaging with sustainability challenges through a quantitative lens.

The module is open to students from different disciplines, including those in Arts studying Irish who may not have studied mathematics since secondary school, and Mathematics Education students with more advanced skills. This diversity presented challenges in balancing content, but was addressed by using Python and Pandas in Jupyter Notebooks, allowing students to explore models and data interactively. Core topics include algebra, calculus, probability, statistics, and applications such as SIR epidemiological models, predator–prey systems, and population dynamics.

Through coding exercises, students can manipulate parameters and directly observe the impacts on sustainability-related problems, bridging theory with practice. The module also highlights the relevance of Irish in STEM education and responds to national policy, which mandates that 20% of public service employees should have Irish by 2030.

Despite administrative hurdles, such as aligning credit across colleges, the module has generated strong interest and positive feedback. Plans include offering preparatory “refresh” sessions in Irish and mathematics, and potential collaboration with other institutions through module swaps, expanding access to Irish-medium sustainability teaching.

Dr Hegarty concludes that combining language, culture, mathematics, and sustainability creates an innovative and empowering learning experience with relevance far beyond the classroom.