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Last year’s €2,000 prize went to Trinity College student Laura Katherine Finnegan, who created an illustrated children’s book profiling some of Ireland’s greatest scientists.
On Tuesday (1 October), the Mary Mulvihill Award 2020 was launched, commemorating the work and legacy of Irish science journalist, author and Ingenious Ireland founder Mary Mulvihill, who died in 2015.
The award was established by friends of Mulvihill to honour her memory and her work in science journalism, science communication and heritage, and to promote her legacy.
It is the fourth year of the competition and the Mary Mulvihill Association is inviting entries on the theme of ‘Our scientific heritage’. More details on how to enter can be found here.
‘Explore Ireland’s mysteries and marvels’
Applicants can submit projects and works in text, audio, visual or mixed formats, exploring places, artefacts, personalities or issues such as public awareness or conservation, relating to Ireland’s scientific and industrial heritage.
In a statement, the organisation said: “This year’s theme celebrates the forthcoming republication of Ingenious Ireland, Mary’s landmark book, which, county by county, reclaimed for contemporary readers Ireland’s long-neglected scientific, industrial, geological, ecological and archaeological heritage.
“We invite entrants to explore Ireland’s mysteries and marvels, be they known or unknown, in the same spirit of intellectual curiosity and pleasure in storytelling that Mary brought to bear on her work.”
Both undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in an Irish higher education institution can apply. They must be enrolled at the time of submission. The overall prize is €2,000, but the organisation said that judges may, at their discretion, make an additional award of €500 for a highly commended entry.
This judges for the Mary Mulivihill Award 2020 are Ellen Byrne, creative director and co-founder of the Festival of Curiosity; Karlin Lillington, Irish Times tech journalist and columnist; Nigel Monaghan, keeper of the natural history division of National Museum of Ireland; and Anne Mulvihill, sister of Mary Mulvihill.
The winner of last year’s competition was Trinity College Dublin PhD student Laura Katherine Finnegan, who created an illustrated children’s book profiling some of Ireland’s greatest scientists. The award was presented to Finnegan by Inspirefest founder and Silicon Republic CEO Ann O’Dea.
