Why I Started Breakthrough Maths

I never thought I’d be in the position I’m in with Breakthrough Maths.

Because I struggled with Maths. Badly.

From day one in school, it felt like a blur. Too much information, too fast. No time to actually figure it out. It always felt like the rest of the class had moved on and I was still stuck back at step one. It was stressful. And it didn’t just affect Maths. When you feel lost in one subject, it messes with your confidence in everything else too.

I know what that feels like. That’s why I started Breakthrough Maths.

If you can fix Maths, the rest starts to follow. You feel a bit more in control. A bit more confident. You walk into school with your head up instead of down.

That’s what I wanted to build. A system that gives students structure, clarity, and live help every week. Not just pre-recorded videos or last-minute cramming. Real human support. The kind of support I wish I had in school.

One of the first students I ever taught was a Fionn McCarthy, from Whitechurch in Cork.

His parents had been told he would not cope with mainstream school. He was anxious, quiet, and struggling.

We worked away together, week by week. Consistently working through questions. The confidence came as the results came. He got a B in his Junior Cert. Then he pushed on and got a H3 in Higher Level Maths in the Leaving Cert.

Now he’s finishing a Master’s in Engineering in MTU.

And that’s mind-blowing, really.

I’ll never forget the day the Irish Examiner picked up his story. He made the front page of the paper. He showed me what was possible. That was the spark that started Breakthrough Maths.

We run four live online classes every week for each group. We cover two topics each week. Every class is recorded so they can rewatch it any time.

No traffic. No lifts. No sitting in the car outside. Log in, learn, log off.

The results speak for themselves. In 2024, 96% of our Leaving Cert students surveyed improved their grades. But more importantly, they stopped fearing Maths.

We’ve built a team of 20 people who genuinely love Maths and love helping students understand it. That’s what makes the difference. Not pressure. Not panic. Just calm, clear, weekly support from people who care.

Maths anxiety is real. But it’s fixable. You don’t need to be gifted. You just need the right help at the right time.

That’s what we’re here for.

Try a free class. See what it’s like. Check it out at breakthroughmaths.ie