Some 30 people sat the two-and-a-half hour examination at University College Dublin (UCD) yesterday.

The first paper was based on verbal reasoning and the second was a diagrammatical test.

Emmet Doyle from Tipperary, and his friend Finbar Waters, from Cork, travelled from Cork to sit the test.

"I did the home test and I did pretty well so I decided to give this a go. I'm reasonably confident but really it's just a bit of craic, " said Doyle, who works in financial services in Cork. "It'll be interesting just to find out my IQ but I'm not taking it too seriously."

Waters, who works in computer services in Cork, said he was sitting the test to keep his friend company.

"I'm the dummy but I'm looking forward to it."

Many other Mensa hopefuls were making their way into the examination hall, many too nervous to have a chat.

"We have to save all our brain power for the exam, " one woman said.

At present, there are 1,200 Irish Mensa members and organisers of yesterday's event expect that number will now rise.

"Generally, 50% of people who take the test are invited to join the society. Everyone who scores within the top 2% of the population is invited to join Mensa, " according to Caroline Garbett of Mensa UK.

"People sitting the test do not have to score in the top 2% in both papers but just one. We've found that most people either have mathematical aptitude or ability with language, " she added.

A diverse range of people turned out for yesterday's IQ test.

"Every type of person got in touch with us, every race and religion. One nice thing about Mensa is that everyone is equal, no-one is judged by their education or their background. Mensa is here so very intelligent people can meet each other, " added Garbett.

The youngest member of Mensa is a three-year-old girl and the eldest is a 97-year-old man. Younger members are accepted into the society on the basis of an educational psychologist's report.

"The society's aims are to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members, and to encourage research into the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, " she added.

MENSA MINI-QUIZ 1. A pet shop has eight hamsters, 18 rabbits and seven guinea pigs.

How many dogs does it have?

2. I am a large animal. Change one letter and I am a dwelling.

Change another letter and I am a very small animal. Remove one letter and I am a river. Finally change one letter and I am an electrical device. What was I and what did I become?

3. Rearrange the letters of the name SOCRATES to give two other words. All eight letters must be used in both words. What are they?

4.What number should appear next in this sequence?

2 6 14 30 62 126 ?

Answers:

1. Four. The alphabetical position of the "rst letter of each animal is key. H for hamster is the eighth letter of the alphabet, R for rabbit the 18th etc.

2. Horse, house, mouse, Ouse and fuse
3.Coarsest and coasters.

4. 254. (Add 1, then multiply by 2 to get next number).