Limerick six-year-old is Ireland's youngest member of high IQ society Mensa
A six-year-old wonder boy from Co Limerick has become the country’s youngest member of Mensa.
While his parents are naturally thrilled with the accolade, they say their son would rather talk about his beloved Manchester United.
John Fitzgerald from Kildimo was officially told two days ago that he had been listed as the youngest person on Mensa’s books, which contain the names of about 1,000 Irish people.
It came as no surprise to his father Barry, a computer engineer, and mother Annemaria, who’d seen his abilities before he could walk.
“He started to memorise the alphabet when he was two and reading by two-and-a-half. He was also singing songs from The Beatles in their entirety before he was three,” Annemaria said.
“When he was three he was able to recite the 12 times tables. John could also memorise people’s car number plates from a very early age. His memory was just phenomenal,” she said.
Realising John was well ahead of his age group, his Montessori teacher Marry Cuddihy urged the Fitzgeralds to get him assessed.
They did so when he was four and were told he had the reading age of a 12-year-old. He is now on par with a 16-year-old.
“Before he went to national school I had to ask him to name five countries starting with a certain letter and he’d rattle them off. He also knew the flags of countries as well. We’d just put up posters of things in his room and he would memorise them,” his mother said.
Annemaria said he is now attending nearby Kilcornan National School where the teachers are wonderful to him.
“He’s currently in senior infants, but is going to skip a year next year and move into second class, because it’s been recommended.”
She said it definitely wasn’t going to his head. “He simply has no idea just how important it is. He’s completely normal, both socially and emotionally and loves playing soccer with Kilcornan AFC. All he wants to do is play for Man United. There are no hints of any other career,” Annemaria said.
“He’s passionate about Wayne Rooney and another hero is Roy Keane. John recently did a school project on another idol, Pele, and did all the research.”
While John is keeping his feet on the ground, his parents say they hope the Mensa membership will open doors for him in the future.
