The Mary Mulvihill collection touches upon all the interests, ideas and achievements of Mary Mulvihill from 1979-2015. The majority of its material relates to her published writing and the research that she undertook to complete these works. Mulvihill produced and edited two books about historic Irish women scientists; Lab Coats and Lace (Dublin, 2009) and Stars, Shells and Bluebells (Dublin, 1997), (as its publisher, see WITS series for research material for this book). She also wrote a guide for more sustainable living in Drive like a Woman, Shop like a Man (Dublin, 2009) and the Dublin-focused Ingenious Dublin: a guide to the city's marvels, discoveries and inventions (Dublin, 2012). However, the majority of literary research material is for her seminal work, Ingenious Ireland: A County-by-County Exploration of Irish Mysteries and Marvels, which was originally published in 2002 and again after her death in 2019. It is widely recognised as an outstanding piece of individual research that gave life to the memory of people and places in Ireland associated with scientific, medical and engineering achievements. The material is arranged in a similar way to the book, with 32 seperate files that correspond with the counties of Ireland.
Another sizable part of the collection is Mulvihill's role in setting up WITS (Women in Technology and Science). WITS is a voluntary, independent organisation advocating, connecting and acting for women to be full and vital participants in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As a founder of WITS in 1990, Mulvihill was central to the organisation’s vision and overall aims. She also played a vital role in highlighting the often neglected role of women in the history of Irish science. This part of the collection comprises of several sub-series detailing the various structures, governance, publications, correspondence and outreach of WITS from its foundation to its contemporary achievements.
The final section of the collection reflects Mulvihill's involvement in science communications, broadcasting and science-related public relations. It covers her interactions with television and radio and how to best put across the importance of science heritage and research in a contemporary and accessible manner. Educational outreach is also represented in this section, particularly her walking tours in Dublin and other parts of the country, where she merged the tourism sector with scientific heritage and awareness. Mulvihill’s company, 'Ingenious Ireland' was also involved in a science/media consultancy business, where she gave advice, ideas and notes about communicating successfully within the media and academia.
