Material relating to visits by Mary Robinson abroad in 1994, including to France (P143/4/5/3/4/1), United States of America (P143/4/5/3/4/2, 13), United Kingdom (P143/4/5/3/4/3), South Africa (P143/4/5/3/4/4, 13), Switzerland (P143/4/5/3/4/5), Poland (P143/4/5/3/4/6), Council of Europe, France (P143/4/5/3/4/7), Canada (P143/4/5/3/4/8), Republic of Zambia (P143/4/5/3/4/9, 12), Republic of Zimbabwe (P143/4/5/3/4/10, 12), United Republic of Tanzania (P143/4/5/3/4/11, 12) and Rwanda (P143/4/5/3/4/12).

Ref: P143/4/5/3/4

Material relating to visits by Mary Robinson abroad in 1995, including to Switzerland (P143/4/5/3/5/1), Japan (P143/4/5/3/5/2,3), Argentina, Brazil and Chile (P143/4/5/3/5/4), Republics of Rwanda, Zaire [now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo] and Uganda P143/4/5/3/5/5), China (P143/4/5/3/5/6) and England P143/4/5/3/5/7.

Ref: P143/4/5/3/5

Material relating to visits by Mary Robinson abroad in 1996, including to Republic of South Africa (P143/4/5/3/6/1), United States of America including State visit (P143/4/5/3/6/2,3), Federal Republic of Germany (P143/4/5/3/6/3) and United Kingdom (P143/4/5/3/6/5-7).

[Archivist’s Note: President Robinson became the first Irish President to make an official State visit to the United States of America while in office, following a public invite from President Bill Clinton, during one of his own visits to Ireland.

President Seán T. O'Kelly was invited to the United States of America by President Eisenhower in 1959 and addressed the Joint Meeting of Congress, 18/03/1959. President de Valera attended President John F. Kennedy's funeral in 1963, and made an official visit in 1964 during which he also addressed Congress. President Robinson herself met President Clinton on a private visit in 1993, as did her successor President McAleese in 1998.

State visits to the United States are formal visits by the head of state from one country to the United States, during which the president of the United States acts as official host of the visitor. State visits are considered to be the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between the United States and a foreign state and are, in general, characterised by an emphasis on official public ceremonies. State visits can only occur on the invitation of the president of the United States, acting in his capacity as head of the United States. (Official visits, in contrast, can also only occur on the invitation of the president of the United States, though are offered in the president's capacity as chief of the federal government of the United States.)]

Ref: P143/4/5/3/6

Material relating to visits by Mary Robinson abroad in 1997, including to United Kingdom (P143/4/5/3/7/2), Malta (P143/4/5/3/7/3), Republic of Rwanda (P143/4/5/3/7/4), Italy and the holy See (P143/4/5/3/7/5) and Sweden (P143/4/5/3/7/6).

Ref: P143/4/5/3/7

Official letters and/or photocopies, from Frank Murray, Secretary to the Government, Department of Taoiseach, to Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President informing of approval from Government for President Robinson to leave the state for the purpose of Private, Official, and State visits, 22/04/1992-28/08/1997 (overlaps with files P143/4/5/3/2/1 - P143/4/5/3/7/6); List of State/Official visits by President Mary Robinson out of Ireland, 29/01/1991-01/12/1993, and visits to Northern Ireland 16/12/1990-19/06/1993, [01/1994].

Ref: P143/4/5/3/8

Briefing documents (bound) for State visit of President von Weizsäcker [President of the Federal Republic of Germany] to Ireland 20-22 July 1992. Contents include information on programme of the visit, CVs for von Weizsäcker and Foreign Minister Kinkel, note on political situation, notes on bilateral relations (Trade and Economic relations and Cultural relations), material relating to Treaty of European Union as it related to the FRG, material on Delors II, enlargement of EU, political and security issues (Common foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Western European Union (WEU), Franco-German Corps and Conference on security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)), international issues (Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Yugoslavia and GATT [General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]) and background information.

Ref: P143/4/5/2/1

Briefing notes on visit by Bosnian Delegation to Ireland, which was postponed from 17/06/1993 and per post-it from Joe Brennan [Deputy Secretary to the President] to Mary Robinson, no new date had been proposed at that time (23/06/1993).

Ref: P143/4/5/2/2

Material relating to the State visit to Ireland of President Mário Soares of Portugal including Óglaigh na hÉireann [Irish Defences Forces] information booklet: "Ceremonial Order Number 15 of 1993 State visit to Ireland of His Excellency Mr Mário Soares President of Portugal Mario Soares 01 to 04 June 1993", menu for "Dinner offered by the President and Mr Robinson in honour of His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic and Mrs Soares", Dublin Castle, 01/06/1993 with insert listing music by Nóirín Ní Riain and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, text of speech delivered by Soares in official Portuguese cover, correspondence relating to gifts to be given, wine to be served at the official dinner and the design of the menu cover, and briefing book sent to Mary Robinson ahead of the visit.

Ref: P143/4/5/2/3

Material relating to State Visit to Ireland of Federal President of Austria, His Excellency Thomas Klestil including menus for dinner in Dublin Castle in his honour, 04/05/1994 (4 copies), memo relating to media invitations to the dinner, 04/05/1994, memo on points of concern in relation to the dinner, 06/05/1994, and photocopy of letter from Bride Rosney, Special Adviser to the President, to Det. Garda W Cooper, Photographic Section, Garda Technical Bureau, thanking him for photographs taken during the State visit, 13/05/1994.

Ref: P143/4/5/2/4

Menu for "Dinner offered by the President and Mr Robinson in honour of the President of the Republic of Hungary, His Excellency Árpád Göncz...", Dublin Castle, 24/04/1995, signed by President Göncz under explanatory note of cover drawing by John B Yeats, of John M Synge whose work Göncz had translated into Hungarian; photocopied letter of thanks from [Charles], Prince of Wales, 13/06/1995, following his first visit to Ireland, with cover letter to Peter Ryan from Veronica Sutherland, Ambassador, 22/06/1995; letter from Governor of Fukuoka, Wataru Aso, thanking MR for allowing "Wings of Women" a courtesy call, 16/11/1995; photocopy of letter from Bride Rosney (BR), Special Adviser to President Mary Robinson (MR), to Paul Loughlin in relation to arrangements and details for press, and memo to Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, from BR and Geoff Keating relating to "pooling arrangements" for visit by United States of America's President Clinton to Áras an Uachtaráin [official residence of President of Ireland], 22-23/11/1995; letter 08/09/1995 from Sonja [Queen of Norway] thanking MR for her hospitality at Áras an Uachtaráin, for attending an exhibition with her during her visit to Ireland, and mentioning her pleasure at visiting Newgrange, and Christmas card with photograph of the Norwegian Royal family with note which thanks MR for recommending Sonja attend Riverdance in London 17/12/1995.

Ref: P143/4/5/2/5