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Seán Lester Collection

  • IE DCUA C1
  • Collection
  • 1935-2003

The collection mainly consists of eleven diaries written by Seán Lester from 1935- 1942 when he was High Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig [Gdansk, Poland], then Deputy and subsequently General Secretary of the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Lester's diary entries and the numerous letters, telegrams and other documents included in the diaries give an invaluable insight into his work in the League of Nations, the momentous historical events that were taking place, and his personal thoughts and struggles during this period. The first diary opens with the following entry by Lester written in October 1935: 'So I've opened a diary at last, the odds are against a dozen entries.' In fact, Lester would go on to write hundreds of entries over the next few years, recording the background workings of the League 5 of Nations with accounts of meetings, public events, conversations with political leaders and diplomats, transcripts of telephone calls, copies of letters he sent, and many of the letters he received and pasted into the pages of the diaries. They provide an invaluable insight into some of the most significant historical events during this period, including the rise of the Nazis in Danzig, the increasing persecution of Jews, the failed attempts to appease Hitler in the run-up to war, and the eventual outbreak of the Second World War.

They also chart Lester's career in the League of Nations as it developed in tandem with these events: the increasing pressure and intimidation he faced as High Commissioner in Danzig from the Nazis as they undermined the authority of the League, his promotion in late 1936 to Deputy Secretary General in Geneva (essentially as a form of appeasement to the Nazis), and his assuming the role of Acting Secretary General of the League after Joseph Avenol left Geneva for Vichy France in 1940. The diaries also show his courage and determination to keep the League (albeit, only its basic functions) running throughout the course of the Second World War.

Details of Lester's personal life and struggles during this period are also recorded, particularly the torment and loneliness he felt being separated from his wife Elsie and three daughters Dorothy Mary, Ann and Patricia following their evacuation from Geneva to Ireland in 1940. Ireland is never far from his thoughts during the period, and the diaries feature numerous correspondence with Irish friends, accounts of brief trips home for Christmas and family holidays to Connemara in the years up to 1940, and reflections on Irish current affairs and political figures. One of the most notable entries in the diaries is Lester's extensive account of his meeting with James Joyce and his family in Geneva in December 1940. The Joyce family had fled their home in Paris the previous May and sought Lester's help in obtaining a visa for their daughter Lucia; the Nazis had refused to issue her with a visa and she remained in a mental health clinic in German-occupied France. A related letter from Joyce to Lester prior to this meeting is also included in the diaries, as is correspondence between Lester and members of the Joyce family and friends following the death of James Joyce in Zurich less than a month later.

The collection also includes a metal case in which Lester – fearing that the Nazis could invade Switzerland at any moment – placed his diaries before burying them next to a bench in the Palais des Nations, the headquarters of the League of Nations in Geneva. This may account for why the diary entries stop in 1942. Also included in the collection is an address book kept by Lester during the period of the diaries, and a television documentary about Lester written and presented by John Bowman which includes a segment on the diaries.

Lester, Seán

Mary Mulvihill Collection

  • IE DCUA C32
  • Collection
  • 1979-2015

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.

Mulvihill, Mary

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