Correspondence and other material, 1991-1992, including originals and photocopies of "Mar Eolas" [For Your Information] notes to Ann Lane, from Kay Gleeson, giving details of various new Ambassadors who were coming to the Áras to present their credentials to President Mary Robinson (MR) including: [dates in brackets are dates of presentation] Their Excellencies Mr Nikolai Ivanovich Kozyrev, USSR (23/03/1992), Mr Abdeslam Tadlaoui, Morocco (originally 17/06/1992 and postponed until 14/09/1992), Mr Junus Effendy Habibie, Indonesia (09/06/1993), Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, United States of America (24/06/1993), Mr Ali M Yassin, Sudan (09/07/1993), Senor Hernán Errázuriz, Chile (29/10/1993), Mr Abdallah Fouad Hafez Hilal, Egypt (11/10/1993), Mr Joseph Kipyegon Ruto, Republic of Kenya (05/11/1993), Arnoldus Antonius Maria Hermans, the Netherlands (25/11/1993), Ms Fan Huijuan, China (17/12/1993), Mr Moshe Raviv, Israel (19/01/1994), Dr Ngoni Togarepi Chideya, Zimbabwe (26/01/1994), Mr Jānis Ūšis, Latvia (01/02/1994), Mr Ali M Jaidah, Qatar (03/02/1994), Mr Mohamed Lessir, Tunisia (03/02/1994) and Alberto Eduardo Ham, Argentina (11/02/1994); cover letters sent by Dermot Nally, Secretary to the Government to PR, with CVs for Ambassador Designates Nikolai Ivanovich Kozyrev (Russia), Tongchan Jotikasthira (Thailand), William Henry Gerald FitzGerald (United States of America), Germán Riesco (Chile), Love Mtsea, Republic of Zambia and Francois Mouton, France (20/01/1992-14/07/1992); correspondence from Mr Rodney HC Walshe, Hon Consul General, Consulate General of Ireland, Auckland, New Zealand listing schedule of rugby games and enclosing biography of Kate Sheppard, ahead of MR's visit in Autumn, 1993, with copy of response from MR, 10-22/12/1992; typed note from Joseph Brennan, [Deputy Secretary to the President], to MR that Spanish Ambassador had suggested Ms Natividad Cordon as a highly qualified and discrete teacher for Spanish lessons, 21/01/1993; photocopy of letter from Ambassador Gearóid Ó Cléirigh on his farewell meeting with King Baudouin King of the Belgians, [on end of Ó Cléirigh's term as Irish Ambassador?], 24/06/1993; material for address by MR to the National Law School of India, Bangalore, on 30 September 1993, which was faxed through from the Embassy of Ireland, New Delhi; draft speech to welcome new Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany to Ireland.

Ref: P143/4/6/2/2

Correspondence and other material, 1994-1995, including originals and photocopies of "Mar Eolas" [For Your Information] notes to Ann Lane, from Kay Gleeson, giving details of various new Ambassadors who were coming to the Áras to present their credentials to President Mary Robinson (MR), including: [dates in brackets are dates of presentation] Their Excellencies Riivo Sinjarv, Estonia (20/04/1994), Thomas Klestil, Austria (04/05/1994), John Gregory Collinge, New Zealand (originally 03/06/1994 and postponed until 12/07/1994), Dr Solomon Gidada, Ethiopia (02/06/1994), Zvi Gabay, Israel (22/07/1994), José Olympio Rache de Almeida, Brazil (22/07/1994), Khaled Abdul Aziz Al-Duwaisan, Kuwait (22/09/1994 rescheduled to take place on 09/09/1994), Barry Mawhinney, Canada (04/11/1994), Raimundas Rajeckas, Lithuania (14/12/1994), Her Charan Singh Dhody, India (20/01/1995), Edward John Stevens, Australia (16/01/1995) and Dato Kassim Daud, Brunei Darussalam (25/01/1995); cover letter from Frank Murray (FM), Secretary to the Government to Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, with memo outlining various Government approvals relating to establishment of non-resident diplomatic relations with Albania, Andorra, Botswana, Cambodia, Namibia, San Marino, States of the former Yugoslavia and Vietnam, nominations for ambassadors to these states, revised arrangements for the accreditation of Irish diplomatic representatives abroad, authorisation for Tánaiste to seek agreements with the Governments concerned and authorising MR as President on receipt of agreements to make necessary appointments and issue letters of credence, 20/07/1994; letter from FM to PR listing approvals from Government regarding various diplomatic appointments, 07/03/1995; background information relating to discussions in Australian Prime Minister Keating's "drive towards an Australian Republic by the end of the year 2001", sent by Ambassador Martin Burke, including photocopies of press articles, and text of Keating's speech in House of Representatives, 07-08/06/1995; faxed letter from Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein, sent via the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in which she urges MR to act with "compassion and political solidarity" in relation to recent turn of events in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 18/07/1995; two faxes relating to United Nations Women's Conference in Beijing, including list and rank of 14 "specially invited" guests of the Chinese Government, 26-27/07/1995; photocopies of letters sent by Bride Rosney, Special Advisor to the President, on behalf of MR to Ambassador Walter Curley re MR meeting him and his wife at the IIE Award, and possibly receiving Lewis Preston privately in Dublin on a future visit, 28/11/1994, to Ambassador Fermin Zelda, Embassy of Spain, Dublin regarding MR attending meeting of Irish and Spanish poets taking place ahead of official launch of the Institute Cervantes, 22/12/1994, to Ambassador Martin Elasser, Federal Republic of Germany, regarding MR officially opening the symposium on "Women at the Top", being organised by Goethe Institut and Trinity College Dublin, 03/11/1995, and to Ambassador Jan Ostern of Norway in relation to photos sent of opening of "Norwegian Events 1995" exhibition at the RHA Gallery, 08/12/1995; photocopy of letter from MR to Mr Ted Barrington, Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, thanking him and his wife Claire for hospitality and assistance during MR's visit to London, 30/11/1995.

Ref: P143/4/6/2/3

Selection of political reports compiled by Irish Embassies abroad which Frank Murray, Secretary to the Government, sent to Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, for her attention. These include "Danish attitudes to Baltic Security Issues", C Barrington, 30/09/1996; report on 1950th Council Meeting, when Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dick Spring, was President, 01/10/1996; "France and Italy - more discord", T Lyons, Paris, 04/10/1996; "Special Meeting of the European Council, 5 October 1996", Ruairí de Búrca, Institutions Section, Economic Division, 10/10/1996; summary of lunch meeting with Minister of Finance, Erik Asvrink, Ambassador Burke, Embassy of Ireland, Sweden, 09/10/1996; "EMU" [Economic Monetary Unit], Embassy of Ireland, Bonn, Gernmany, 08/10/1996; "Some Finnish Views on EMU", Dáithí O'Ceallaigh, Ambassador, [Finland], 09/10/1996; note on meeting of officials from German Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Oliver Grogan, Economic Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, 12/10/1996; reports of German media coverage on Chancellor Kohl's visit to Ireland, October 1996, on IGC Employment, "Franco-German Paper on Reinforced Cooperation", "The Bundesbank President and EMU", and "The Economic Situation in Germany", Embassy of Ireland, Germany, 11-28/10/1996; "Danish parliamentary scrutiny of EU business and legislation", 16/10/1996; lunch with Foreign Minister Gama, Brian Muldoon, [Embassy of Ireland, Portugal?], 24/10/1996; "Belgian position on the IGC", Brussels, 25/10/1996; and report from Embassy of Ireland, Helsinki, Finland on Finnish information re IGC", 29/10/1996, with cover letter from FM to PR, 14/11/1996..

Ref: P143/4/6/2/4

Correspondence and other material, 1996-1997, including letter from Sheila Copps, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Canadian Heritage, sent via the Canadian Embassy to Ireland, thanking MR for her video message for St Patrick's Day to coincide with their announcement of an Irish memorial on Grosse Île, and noting "Everyone at the ceremony remembered with great pride your trip to Grosse Île in 1994. We are honoured that you, the real champion of this announcement, could join us in technology and spirit", 18/03-03/05/1996; fax from Dónal Denham, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, to Bride Rosney, Special Adviser to the President, for MR, with report on Rwanda-Burundi by UNHCR, which "confirms the thrust of the GOAL information", 04-05/06/1996; handwritten letter from Denham to MR thanking her for her kind letter and enclosure, 23/12/1996; photocopy of letter from Elisabeth Palmstierna, Marshal of the Court, Royal Palace, Stockholm, Sweden to Irish Ambassador to Sweden, Martin Burke, enclosing letter from Her Royal Highness Princess Lilian to MR, which Burke sent with compliment card for Bride (letter from Lilian not included here), following MR's visit to Sweden, 22/04/1997; photocopy of notice of motion "That this House salutes President Mary Robinson of Ireland ... on her brave and successful efforts of the last seven years to improve relations between the peoples of these islands", sent by Embassy of Ireland, London to Department of Foreign Affairs and forwarded on to Peter Ryan, 20/03/1997; letter from Brendan McMahon, Ambassador, Embassy of Ireland, Nigeria in relation to MR's candidacy for post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, noting that the most to be hoped for was that Nigeria would not actively campaign against her candidacy, given Ireland as part of the European Union had recently sponsored a very critical resolution on Human Rights in Nigeria, 25/04/1997; letter from John HF Campbell, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, congratulating MR on her nomination as United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, 16/06/1997.

[Archivist's Note: Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada commemorates the importance of immigration to Canada, particularly via the entry port of Québec, from the early 19th century to the First World War. Grosse Île also commemorates the tragic events experienced by the Irish immigrants at this site, primarily during the typhoid epidemic of 1847.]

Ref: P143/4/6/2/5

Letters from VIPs to President Mary Robinson (MR) during and related to her presidency and arranged chronologically by year. Also includes a folder of responses to letter sent by MR to over 80 Heads of State calling for assistance for Rwanda following genocide against minority Tutsi population in 1994 (P143/6/3/7).

Ref: P143/4/6/3

Letters from VIPs to President Mary Robinson, 1990 including letter from Frank McDonald, The Irish Times, congratulating MR on winning election, enclosing article he wrote on Áras an Uachtaráin [the official residence of the President of Ireland] and asking her to "keep the Fifties powder room!", 09/11/1990; letter of congratulations from The Hon Wendy Fatin MP, Minister for Local Government and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, Canberra, Australia, 16/11/1990; card with pressed flowers on front, with handwritten message from Éamon de Buitléar [Irish writer, musician and film maker] to MR in Irish and English, wishing her long life and best wishes, 11/1990; handwritten letter from Gordon Wilson, thanking MR for inviting him to her inauguration, for all she stood for, for being her and stating "I was moved beyond words. Keep spreading the love", 06/12/1990; typed letter of thanks from Séamus Heaney [Irish poet, playwright and Nobel Prize winner], thanking her for the honour of the invitation to the inauguration, and noting in handwritten postscript "Trust the poet to miss the obvious: the big incandescence was to be quoted so aptly and centrally. Grandeus grandeo!", 19/12/1990.

[Archivist's note: Gordon Wilson, a draper from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, survived the IRA bombing at Enniskillen, 08/11/1987, but lost his daughter, Marie, who died from her injuries. He became known internationally as a peace campaigner.]

Ref: P143/4/6/3/1

Letters from VIPs to President Mary Robinson, 1991 including two photocopies of letter from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama stating how happy he was that they had the opportunity to meet during his visit, "in spite of the pressure on you against such a meeting", referring to his visits to England and the United States and noting the growing awareness and support for the Tibetan struggle, 25/04/1991; typed letter on headed paper from Éamon de Buitléar, [writer, musician and filmmaker], thanking MR for invite to lunch at Árus [Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence of the President of Ireland], and referring to her plans to improving her Irish, and for "The Story of the Árus", to be written, 29/01/1991.

Ref: P143/4/6/3/2

Letters from VIPs to President Mary Robinson (MR), 1992 including typed letter from Brian Friel [Irish dramatist], thanking MR for her speech at the "I.C.E.M. ceremony", 12/02/1992; handwritten letter in Irish from Dr Kenneth Whitaker, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, thanking MR for presenting an award to An Dochtúir [Dr] Mac Conaill, 14/03/1992; typed letter from Madeline Reid, wife/partner to Keith McBean, on their return to Ireland from India for his new posting as a First Secretary, and the work she was finishing up first including with an Indian NGO "Working Women's Forum", 24/03/1992; typed postcard from Rita Childers, widow of former President of Ireland Erskine Childers, congratulating MR on the good working relationship she enjoyed with the Government, as per news article enclosed, with typed draft response, 21/04-11/05/1992; handwritten letter from Séamus Heaney [Irish poet, playwright and Nobel Prize winner] to MR referring to her press conference [following visit to Somalia], congratulating her on it being "electrifying", and referring to her use of lines from his poem "Cure at Troy", noting it had given them "such currency", and stating "I was caught between a well behaved 'aw shucks' and an inclination to stand out on Strand Road asking passersby if they'd heard what the President said in the States", 09/10/1992; typed letter from Cardinal Cahal Daly, Archbishop of Armagh, expressing admiration "for the great courage and compassion which [she] showed by her visit to Somalia", with response from MR, 07-12/10/1992.

Ref: P143/4/6/3/3

Letters to and from VIPs to President Mary Robinson, 1993 including handwritten letter from Harry Whelehan, then Attorney General, thanking MR that he was still a member of her Council of State "an ex-officio position", noting the 13th anniversary of both of them being called to the Inner Bar, was approaching and suggesting a group assemble for a dinner/lunch to celebrate, 15/01/1993; typed letter to Lord Revelstoke, thanking him for invitation to visit Lambay Island the following spring (1994), and referring to the unique architectural heritage of Lambay Castle, including wing added by architect Edwin Lutyens, 19/10/1993.

Ref: P143/4/6/3/4

Letters from VIPs to President Mary Robinson (MR), 1994 including handwritten letter from Harry Whelehan, then Attorney General, thanking MR for making space in her schedule for lunch and congratulating her on what he believed was a successful trip to the United States of America, 11/03/1994; handwritten letter from Máirín Lynch, wife of Jack Lynch, former Taoiseach, thanking MR for bouquet of get-well flowers she sent, which Máirín noted were in his favourite Cork colours [red and white], 21/03/1994; correspondence between Pope John Paul II, MR, Emmanuel Gerada, Apostolic Nuncio and Aidan O'Hara, Assistant Chief of Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs, in relation to Ireland's input into International Conference on Population and Development, and the Catholic Church's "Year of the Family", 19/03-14/08/1994; typed letter from Elizabeth Smith, widow of British Labour Party politician and leader of the party, John Smith, who had passed away on 12th May 1994, thanking MR for her letter of condolence, with photocopy of MR's letter, 12-14/11/1994; typed letter from Dr Hans Küng [a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and author], thanking MR for a "sympathetic provisional answer with regard to a statement on the Declaration >>Towards A Global Ethic<<, promulgated by the Parliament of the World's Religions", 21/11/1994.

Ref: P143/4/6/3/5