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), 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 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 to and from VIPs to President Mary Robinson (MR), 1990-1997 (no dates given) including handwritten letter from Gary White Deer, Elder of Choctaw Nation, thanking MR for loan of painting "Brave Hearts Must Travel" which he used during tour of Ireland; Christmas card from Graham Turley, featuring photograph of Turley, his wife, Irish Journalist Veronica Guerin [murdered in a contract killing believed to have been ordered by a South Dublin-based drug cartel, in June 1996] and their son Cathal, [12/1996?]; compliment slip from Secretary General of United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali, thanking MR for her support of the UN.

Ref: P143/4/6/3/10

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 (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

Print out of excerpt of "Verses for A Fordham Commencement" by Séamus Heaney, which he delivered as the 137th commencement address to students of Fordham University, in 1982. This is not an exact excerpt, contains typos and appears to be transcribed by a third party who misheard some and was unsure of other words. It was probably later quoted by Mary Robinson in one of her commencement addresses.

Various Bills presented to President Mary Robinson (MR) for signature with some additional related material including Referendum (Amendment) Bill, 1992, with cover note from Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, attaching a fax from Senator Brendan Ryan, suggesting that Section 2 may be in breach of the Constitution, 15-18/05/1992; Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1992 [permitted the State to ratify the Treaty on European Union, commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty], 15/05/1992, and photocopy of translated Bill ratifying the Treaty, November 1992; Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1993, with cover letter from PR enclosing submission from Ms Geraldine O'Brien, Cork Environmental Alliance, 02/04-10/07/1992; Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill, 1992, with letter from Mr David Munro suggesting MR refer it to Supreme Court, 15-20/07/1992; Presidential Elections Bill, 1993, 18-22/11/1993; photocopy of proclamation by MR fixing 17 Feb 1993 for first meeting of Seanad Éireann [Irish Senate] following General Election, 10-11/02/1993; photocopy of translation of nomination by MR of Gearóid Ó Cléirigh as Plenipotentiary, giving him "Full Powers and Authority" to sign the Convention on Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters, July 1993; photocopy of draft translation of ratification of Act amending the Protocol on the statute of the European Investment Bank empowering the Board of Governors to establish the European Investment Fund, 1993; copy of nomination by MR of Albert Reynolds, Taoiseach, Dick Spring, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Pádraic McKernan, Permanent Representative of Ireland at the European Union as Plenipotentiaries in relation to Treaty concerning accession of Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Austria, Republic of Finland and Kingdom of Sweden to European Union, June 1994, and copy of ratification, November 1994; photocopy of draft acceptance by MR of retirement of Pádraig L Mac Domhnaill (Patrick L McDonnell, Comptroller and Auditor General), July 1994; material relating to Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies), Bill, 1995, including photocopy of Supreme Court decision Bill was not repugnant to the Constitution, with cover letter from by Liam Hamilton, Chief Justice, and photocopy of MR's declaration she had signed Bill following their decision, 12/05/1995.

Ref: P143/4/14/6

Material relating to a six-week period June/July 1982 when Mary Robinson (MR) taught [European] Common Market Law at University of San Francisco. MR was accompanied on this trip by her husband Nick, her three children, her secretary Anne Lane, and her housekeeper, Anne Coyne. Some of the material relates to work Nick was doing on behalf of the Heritage Trust, while in San Francisco, and on East Coast (New York/Boston/Washington) where MR joined him. Includes photocopy of letter from Prof Eldon H Reilly, School of Law, University of San Francisco (USF) to Prof WN Osborough, Dept of Legal Science, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in relation to USF sponsoring a summer law programme for American and Canadian students in TCD beginning 1983 [see P143/3/1/4], and USF having slot for European professor to teach basic course on Common Market Law at USF, summer 1982 and requesting expression of interest, 15/12/1981; correspondence between MR and Prof Reilly in relation to her accepting role, and detailing terms of employment 28/01-07/04/1982; course description, syllabus and recommended reading, European Community Law, 1982; correspondence between Mary and Nick Robinson and Anne Tormey, Córas Tráchtála [The Irish Export Board], in relation to finding accommodation for the family and other logistics, 22/04-24/05/1982, and subsequent correspondence re same with Ms Liliane Toth, 10-26/05/1982; correspondence between MR and Joseph M Hassett, Hogan & Hartson, Washington DC, in relation to work Nick was planning during stay, 29/04-16/05/1982; correspondence between MR and Ms Thelma Doran, Consul General of Ireland in San Francisco, in relation to Robinsons stay in America, 30/04/1982; correspondence between MR and JH Alston, Promotions Manager, IDA Ireland [Industrial Development Authority], referring to United States (US) investments in Ireland and effect of Ireland breaking away from Sterling within the EMS [European Monetary System], 12-17/05/1982; correspondence between MR and Mr Gerard C Smith, Consultants International Group, Washington DC, re Smith hosting dinner for Mary and Nick, with "some friends from the Trilateral Commission", 13-19/05/1982; correspondence between Nick and Mary Robinson and Ambassador Tadgh F O'Sullivan, Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC, in relation to meeting and discussing Nick's work with Heritage Trust, 20/05/1982; correspondence between MR and Ambassador Peter H Dailey, American Ambassador, Embassy of the United States, Dublin, Ireland in relation to contacts Dailey gave Robinsons to meet during stay, 24/05/1982, and MR's subsequent correspondence with them (Dr Robert Branick, Irish Forum, San Francisco, 24/05/1982, and Mr Emmet McHaughey, Dailey & Associates, Los Angeles, 24/05/1982); correspondence between MR and Carmel B Heaney, consul General, in relation to spreading word in Boston of their visit and Nick's work, 02/06/1982; handwritten letter from Mrs Eileen M Devoy, Pasadena, California, to MR, 10/06/1982, sharing family news and inviting Robinsons to visit; correspondence between MR and Linda A Clardy, Assistant to the Dean, USF in relation to entry requirements into the US for the Robinson family, 27/05/1982, with names and Date of Births; handwritten letter from [Boss?], 27/06/82, giving news from Ireland, including that Northern Ireland beat Spain in the World Cup [soccer?]; handwritten letter to MR from Ann Mariante, Sacramento, California, whose mother, Rita [Serff?], worked as secretary to FX Martin, during Wodd Quay campaign [see P143/1/2/9], and who referenced Catherine Shannon of Westfield State College who was eager to have MR in Boston to talk to Northern Ireland; class list sent by Elizabeth J Bernhardt, Assistant Registrar, 07/07/1982, and further correspondence relating to examinations, 14/07/1982; copy of letter from MR to Ms Thelma Doran, Consul General of Ireland in San Francisco, following the visit, apologising for delay in replying and referencing death from cancer of the Robinson family's nanny, [Anne Coyne?], 23/02/1983; final exam paper for Prof Suzanne E Mounts' Criminal Law course, 19/05/1982; reading lists for MR's Common Market Law course, summer 1982; background information on Assemblyman Louis J Papn, 19th District [Massachusetts?], and Omer L Rains, Ventura, 18th Senatorial District; photocopies of daily press summaries from [Department of Foreign Affairs], 05-09/07/1982; material relating to travel including correspondence relating to visas, itineraries, and car hire, 16/02-01/06/1982.

Material relating to Irish section of University of San Diego (USD)'s summer Institute on International and Comparative Law (IICL) at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), as approved by American Bar Association, at which Mary Robinson (MR) lectured in 1983. Material includes memo of telephone call MR missed from Prof Herbert Lazerow, Professor of Law, USD, 02/11/1982, which has shopping list on reverse, and follow-up letter from Lazerow confirming agreement that MR would teach on Dublin programme of IICL, 03/11/1982; programme for 1982 Summer Law Study, IICL, in England, Mexico, Poland, Russia and France; correspondence between MR and Lazerow in relation to Dublin leg of summer programme, 16/11/1982-31/05/1983, including signed contract, 16/12/1982, IICL programme for 1983; correspondence between Prof C Thomas Dienes, National Law Center, Washington DC, USA, and MR in relation to Dienes joining MR as lecturer on IICL course, and seeking advice on accommodation and published sources on Human Rights laws in Ireland and United Kingdom, 11/03-05/04/1983; syllabus, course programme and reading lists for Common Market Competition Law, 25/07-03/08/1983; examination paper for Common Market Law, Professor Robinson, 04/08/1983; thank-you card from student Tim Reilly, 06/08/1983; business card for John McKanna, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA [student on course]; USD IICL circulars/newsletters, 11/1985, 12/1986, 1987, 15/11/1988, 12/1988, 01/1990; IICL Summer Law Study posters 1986, 1987 and programmes, 1989 and 1990. Material also includes circular from November 1995 listing USD Institute of International and Comparative Law listing 1994-95 donors.