Over 80 percent of Irish children identified as 'gifted' are male.
But that could be because girls are underselling their achievements.
A report in today's Sunday Independent quotes figures from Ireland's Centre for Talented Youth at DCU - which shows teachers and parents are putting boys aged between six and eight forward ahead of girls, because of their behaviours.
The centre's director, Dr Colm O'Reilly, says gifted boys tend to become disruptive and gain attention when they advance beyond their classmates - while girls tend to hide their skills to blend in with people around them.
"It's down to 'good behaviour'. That old stereotype: girls are better at regulating behaviour at a younger age," he added.
The trend is reversed in later years, he says. 60 percent of 'gifted' teenagers between 13 and 15 at the DCU-based centre are girls.
