Material in this series relates to Mary Robinson’s various roles as part of the United Nations (UN), is further divided into 9 subseries, is arranged chronologically per subseries and includes reports, briefing packages, correspondence, cuttings, flyers, minutes and agendas.

Material in the first subseries (P143/5/1) relates to Robinson’s term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, September 1997-September 2002, excluding her time as Secretary General of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Durban, 2000, which is covered in P143/5/2. The third subseries (P143/5/3) relates to the UN Global Compact [a joint initiative of global leaders from the world of business, labour and civil society, under leadership of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The initiative, in support of universal values and responsible business operations, was first proposed at World Economic Forum Davos 1999]. Material in P143/5/4 relates to CSAG [Civil Society Advisory Group to the United Nations on Women, Peace and Security], 2010-2011. Material in the three subseries which follow relate to Robinson’s various roles as UN Special Envoy: (1) for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, 03/2013-07/2014 (P143/5/5); (2) on Climate Change, 08/2014-2015 (P143/5/6) and (3) on El Niño and Climate, 2016 (P143/5/7). Material in the final two subseries respectively relate to Ireland and the UN Security Council (P143/5/8) and general ephemera (P143/5/9).

[Archivist’s Note: some material in this series has been closed due to the sensitive nature of the contents, and/or in adherence to GDPR regulations]

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Material in this series relates to Mary Robinson’s work with The Elders from 2007 to 2018. In 2007 she was invited by Nelson Mandela to become a founding member of The Elders, the formation of which was announced on Mandela’s 89th birthday in Johannesburg, 18 July 2007. Envisaged as a group of independent global leaders working together for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet, it was the brainchild of Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson. The Elders programmes are encompassed by three overarching themes: Governance and Leadership; Conflict, its Causes and Consequences; and Inequality, Exclusion and Injustice. On 1 November 2018, Robinson was appointed Chair of The Elders, succeeding Kofi Annan who had died earlier that year and who had in turn succeeded Archbishop Desmond Tutu as chair.

Material in this series is further divided into seven subseries covering minutes (P143/7/1); articles, reports and background information (P143/7/2); briefing packs and biographies relating to specific visits and/or events (P143/7/3); correspondence (P143/7/4); administration, staff issues, internal correspondence (P143/7/5); press, including statements and photographs (P143/7/6) and ephemera (P143/7/7).

[Archivist’s Note 1: some material in this series has been closed due to the sensitive nature of the contents, and/or in adherence to GDPR regulations.

Archivist’s Note 2: some material overlaps with Robinson’s work with the United Nations (P143/5), with Realizing Rights – The Ethical Globalisation Initiative (P143/6), with the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice (P143/8) and with her work as patron to several organisations (P143/9)].

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Material in this series relates to the Robinson family. It consists of correspondence (P143/19/1); photographs (P143/19/2); research material including on the family’s history (P143/19/3); important documents such as passport scans (P143/19/4); financial documents including those related to tax, pay and pensions (P143/19/5); medical documents (P143/19/6); material relating to the Robinson children (P143/19/7); material relating to Massbrook House, the Robinson residence in County Mayo from [?-? (P143/19/8), ephemera ((P143/19/9) and material related to private gifts given (P143/19/10).

[Archivist’s Note: some material in this series has been closed due to the sensitive nature of the contents, and/or in adherence to GDPR regulations].

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This series consists of reports and other research carried out by Mary Robinson and covers a wide expanse of topics. Often during the course of Robinson’s career, her work with various organisations overlapped, and she carried out multiple roles simultaneously. As a result, research which could not be identified as relating to a specific role or be clearly defined as relating to one role only, and which therefore could not be arranged in a relevant series elsewhere, is also covered here.

The series is further divided into four subseries. Material covered includes general research arranged chronologically by decade (P143/14/1; material relating to climate change from the period before the foundation of the Mary Robinson Foundation-Climate Justice (P143/14/2); Northern Ireland, excluding period covering Robinson’s term as President of Ireland (P143/14/3) and material relating to various Human Rights Organisations, not covered elsewhere (P143/14/4). It consists of reports, press releases, pamphlets, correspondence, flyers and cuttings.

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Material in this series relates to Realizing Rights – The Ethical Globalisation Initiative (RR) which was founded by Mary Robinson in October 2002 shortly after her departure from the United Nations, in partnership with the Aspen Institute, Columbia University and the International Council on Human Rights Policy. Robinson’s position within the organisation was that of President. Their stated mission was to put Human Rights standards at the heart of global governance and policy making and to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable were addressed on global stage. The organisation focussed on three areas in particular: imbalances in global trade and development policies; global inequities in health with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS in Africa and barriers to more humane international migration. The initiative was wound down in 2010.

The series is further divided into 27 subseries. The first nine subseries relate to the organisation itself and its administration and include minutes (P143/6/1); articles, reports and background information (P143/6/2); briefing packs and biographies relating to specific visits and/or events (P143/6/3); correspondence (P143/6/4); administration, staff issues, internal correspondence (P143/6/5); press, including statements and photographs (P143/6/6); legal documents (P143/6/7); daily schedules (P143/6/8), and material which had initially been stored in file-boxes, and which have been kept together as per the pre-existing arrangement (P143/6/9).

Material in P143/6/10 relates to the relationship between RR and the Earth Institute, Columbia University where RR was based. P143/6/11-13 consists of material which was already in a pre-existing arrangement and relates to Migration, Penal Reform and the EUIC respectively [European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation].

Several of the subsequent subseries relate to sources of funding for RR (P143/6/14) and various foundations including the Ford Foundation (P143/6/15); Atlantic Philanthropies (P143/6/16); and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (P143/6/19). Other organisations covered in this series include Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) 2002-2010, of which Robinson was Chair (P143/6/17); the World Bank (P143/6/18); Al Gore Generation Investment 2004-2010 (P143/6/20); World Trade Organisation 2005-2006 (P143/6/21); MLI [Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health] 2007-2011 (P143/6/22); Clinton Global Initiative 2005-2014 (P143/6/23); ICCA [International Center for Corporate Accountability] 2003-2004 (P143/6/24); ICHRP [International Council of Human Rights Policy (one of the three partners involved in RR)], 2010-2011 (P143/6/25); and General Investment Management, of which Robinson was an advisory board member (P143/6/26). The final subseries consists of RR ephemera.

[Archivist’s Note 1: some material in this series has been closed due to the sensitive nature of the contents, and/or in adherence to GDPR regulations.

Archivist’s Note 2: some material overlaps with Robinson’s work with the Elders, (P143/7) and her work as patron to several organisations (P143/9)].

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Material in this series relates to coverage of Mary Robinson in the press, and consists of cuttings (P143/15/1), photographs (P154/15/2) and interviews (P143/15/3). Often during the course of Robinson’s career, her work with various organisations overlapped, and she carried out multiple roles simultaneously. As a result, press coverage which could not be identified as relating to a specific role or be clearly defined as relating to one role only, and which therefore could not be arranged in a relevant series elsewhere, is included here.

For press coverage of Robinson in specific roles (e.g. President of Ireland; United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) please refer to the relevant press section(s) in the series covering that role.

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Material in this series relates to Mary Robinson (MR)’s role as President of Ireland (December 1990 - September 1997). Ireland’s 7th president, she was the first woman to hold this office and the first non-Fianna Fáil [Irish political party founded in 1926] candidate elected. During her seven-year presidency she transformed and expanded the role, assisted in large part by her knowledge and understanding of the Irish constitution. In particular, her legal expertise allowed her to differentiate between imagined and existing legal constraints. She developed new political, cultural, and economic links with other countries, reached out to local communities at home and abroad, and used her platform to bring attention to suffering of others such as her visit to Somalia in 1992.

The series is further subdivided into 18 subseries and includes correspondence, reports, press cuttings, photographs, programmes and agendas. Material relating to MR’s nomination jointly by the Labour party and the Workers Party as their candidate and to her election campaign can be found in P143/4/1 and material in P143/4/2 covers the resulting official inauguration. The six subseries which follow consist of daily engagement schedules (P143/4/3); briefing notes, background information and reports (P143/4/4); material relating to official state visits (P143/4/5); correspondence with her secretary Peter Ryan, with the Government including the Taoisigh [Irish prime ministers] and members of the public including children and VIPS (P143/4/6); photographs (P143/4/7) and press cuttings (P143/4/8).

P143/4/9 and P143/4/10 consist of material relating to staff and administration at Áras an Uachtaráin [the official residence of the President of Ireland] and to the building itself and its surrounding grounds respectively. The remaining subseries consists of material relating to MR’s addresses as president (P143/4/11); events excluding official state visits (P143/4/12); gifts given and received during her presidential term (P143/4/13); legal documentation predominantly relating to Acts passed in Dáil Éireann [lower house of parliament] and the Council of State (P143/4/14); role of the president (P143/4/15); Northern Ireland during MR’s presidential term including Co-operation North [a non-political, non-denominational all-island charity dedicated to peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, later renamed Co-operation Ireland] (P143/4/16), theses and other studies on MR’s term as president (P143/4/17) and ephemera (P143/4/18).

[Archivist’s Note: People featured throughout this series include Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President; Joe Brennan, Deputy Secretary to the President; Bride Rosney, Special Adviser to the President; Ann Lane, Personal Assistant to the President; Kay Gleeson, Personnel Officer, Áras an Uachtaráin; Dermot Nally, Secretary to the Government; Frank Murray, Assistant Secretary to the Government, later Secretary (from 03/1993); Brian McCarthy, Assistant Secretary to the Government (from 03/1993) and Noel Dorr, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs.]

Ref: P143/4

This series consists of gifts and presentations given to Mary Robinson from 1978 - 2016, and related material, is further subdivided into five subseries and one file and is arranged according to the format of the item received.

P143/17/1 includes presentations and gifts, and related material, given to Robinson on various visits including state visits, and at various events, apart from medals, shields, ceremonial dress and flags.

P143/19/2 includes medals, and related material, presented to Robinson on various visits including state visits, and at various events, excluding those awarded to her for her work, which can be found in P143/10.

P143/19/3 includes shields, and related material, presented to Robinson on various visits including state visits, and at various events

P143/19/4 consists of items of ceremonial wardrobe, and related material, presented to Robinson on various visits including state visits, and at various events.

P143/19/5 consists of several flags used for various events and occasions including a set of small flags, the Irish flag and the Irish presidential flag, both for possible use on the presidential car.

P143/19/6 consists of documents relating to the many gifts received by Robinson, including several lists, and material relating to a Daffodil being named in her honour by the American Daffodil Society.

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Material in this series relates to Mary Robinson (MR)’s work as senator and legislator, is further subdivided into 16 sections and includes reports, correspondence, cuttings, flyers, minutes and agendas. Material relating to her work in Ireland includes that relating to the Labour party of which she was a member from 1976 to 1985 (P143/2/1); material covering Robinson’s work as a senator from 1969-1989 including in relation to various elections, and as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Joint Committee on European Communities Secondary Legislation 1977-1989 (P143/2/2); material relating to Northern Ireland, excluding the period covering Robinson’s term as President of Ireland (P143/2/3); reports from the Constitution Review Group, 1990s (P143/2/4); material relating to the Council of State 2004-2013, of which Robinson was a member (P143/2/5); and to the Irish Sub-committee on Women's participation in Politics (P143/2/16).

Material relating to her work at a European and International level includes material relating to the Trilateral Commission 1973-1980, of which Robinson was a member (P143/2/6) [the Trilateral commission was founded in 1973 by private citizens of Western Europe, Japan and North America to foster closer cooperation among these three regions on common problems]; reports and other research material relating to Europe Plus 30 (P143/2/7), the TEPSA [Trans European Policy Studies Association] project (P143/2/8), the European Parliament (P143/2/9), FAST [Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology] (P143/2/10). Material covering MR's work in relation to Ireland and its place in Europe include Ireland and the European Internal Market (P143/2/11), The Single European Act (P143/2/12), ICEM [Irish Council of the European Movement] (P143/2/13) and to TASC and The Democracy Commission for which Robinson acted as International counsellor (P143/2/14).

For material relating to MR's term in office as President of Ireland (1990-1997) please see P143/4.

Material in this series relates to Mary Robinson’s work as honorary president, patron, chair, board member or ordinary member of numerous organisations and charities, and includes minutes, reports, correspondence, briefing material, programmes, photographs, cuttings and ephemera.

The series is further subdivided by organisation into 39 subseries which are arranged in chronological order where possible and appropriate. Material includes that relating to Cherish [the Irish Association of single parents], 1972-1990, for which Robinson was president (P143/9/1); Council of Women World Leaders for which Robinson was chair) (P143/9/2 ); Club de Madrid (P143/9/3); Oxfam International, 2002-2012, for which Robinson was honorary president (P143/9/4); Commission on Democracy in Ireland for which Robinson was International Counsellor (P143/9/5); Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2006-2018, for which Robinson was a board member (P143/9/6); Arab Democracy Foundation, for which Robinson was a founding member of the board of trustees (P143/9/7); The B Team, for which Robinson was member and later ambassador (P143/9/8); Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, for which Robinson was on the selection committee (P143/9/9); Institute of Human Rights and Businesses for which Robinson was patron of the board (P143/9/10); World Justice Project for which Robinson was honorary co-chairperson (P143/9/11); European Climate Foundation, for which Robinson was an advisory board member (P143/9/12); Concern, 2003-11 (P143/9/13); European Former Leaders Group / European Experts Group 2011 (P143/9/14); GAVI Alliance, 2003-2015 [founded in 2000 as successor to Children's Vaccine Initiative, and originally known as Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation], for which Robinson was chair in 2007, 2008 (P143/9/15); World Economic Forum (P143/9/16); Red Ribbon on Aids, 2006, for which Robinson was a member of the Jury (P143/9/17); Irish Chamber Orchestra, for which Robinson was chair from 2003-2008 (P143/9/18); American Philosophical Society, 2001-2011, for which Robinson was a member (P143/9/19); Global Health Foundation, for which Robinson was [on board of Trustees?] (P143/9/20); British Irish Association, for which Robinson was a [member?] (P143/9/21); Centre for Sport and Human Rights, for which Robinson was a founding chair (P143/9/22); Brookings Blum Roundtable (P143/9/23); Global Public Policy Institute, for which Robinson was on the advisory board (P143/9/24); Silatech, for which Robinson is a member of the founding board (P143/9/25); Children’s World Blood Bank, for which Robinson was co-president, 2002-3 (P143/9/26); Fundacao Champalimaud [Champalimaud Foundation], 2011, for which Robinson was board member and honorary chair (P143/9/27); Fund for Global Human Rights, 2011 for which Robinson was board member and honorary chair (P143/9/28); Generation Investment Management, 2012 for which Robinson was advisory board member (P143/9/29); FoGrameen [Friends of Grameen, a campaign set up by Robinson in support of Grameen Bank and its founder Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Professor Yunus, who was alleged victim of politically motivated attacks] (P143/9/30); Mastercard Foundation, for which Robinson was board member (P143/9/31); Anna-Maria Hellenic Foundation, for which Robinson was board member (P143/9/32); Transparency International, for which Robinson was member of advisory council (P143/9/33); Eisenhower fellowships, for which Robinson was on board of trustees (P143/9/34); One Young World [Counsellor? Patron?] (P143/9/35); Wyeth [Stockholder?] (P143/9/36) and International Community of Women living with HIV/AID (ICW), for which Robinson was a patron (P143/9/37). The final two subseries consist of a small amount of material relating to several other organisations (P143/9/38) and a general list of the organisations and Robinson’s role with them (P143/9/39).

[Archivist’s Note 1: some material in this series has been closed due to the sensitive nature of the contents, and/or in adherence to GDPR regulations.

Archivist’s Note 2: some material overlaps with Robinson’s work with the United Nations as Special Envoy (P143/5/5-7)), with Realizing Rights – The Ethical Globalisation Initiative (P143/6), with The Elders (P143/7) and with the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice (P143/8)].

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