Ireland has highest Mensa membership in the world

There are more highly intelligent people recorded in Ireland than in any other country.

Mensa, an association of people with high IQs, says Ireland has the highest figure of Mensa members in the world.

To join Mensa you must have an IQ in the top 2 % of the world's population.

Ireland has over 1,200 members and its ranks are swelling here while they decline in the UK.

Mensa's international president David Schulman, who lives in Dublin, said although education helps develop the IQ, natural intelligence is something one is born with.

Mr Schulman said membership of Mensa covers a broad social spectrum from heads of businesses to unemployed and unemployable people.