Archive
Spanning a period of almost 50 years, Mary Robinson's archive includes material relating to her time as a barrister and Senator, a time when her work helped shape the future of Ireland as we know it today. In addition, her personal papers relating to her Presidency are included.
Those papers relating to Mary's post-Presidency period recount her work on the global stage - as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and later during her roles as UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, for Climate Justice and for El Nino and Climate Change, in addition to papers relating to Realizing Rights in New York, her work with global foundations such as The Elders, Mo Ibrahim Foundation and much, much more, including the following:
- 2000 books on Law and Human Rights (many of these presented to Mary Robinson and signed by the author)
- 3800 periodicals, many of them with contributions by Mary Robinson
- A Master File of the President's engagements from Dec 1990 to Sept 1997
- The symbolic light in the window of Áras an Uachtaráin window from Mary's Presidency
- Mary Robinson's personal diaries from 1967 to 1990 and from 1998 to 2001
- 325 Archive Cartons containing documents ranging from the Anglo Irish Agreement to Women and Equality
- 74 A4 file boxes covering daily files during period as UN Commissioner for Human Rights
- 312 Gifts, 119 Awards and 61 Honorary doctorates
- Videos, Radio and Cassette Tapes
- Scrap Books and Photo Albums
Mary Robinson's personal archive was valued in 2012 at approximately €2.5 million.
An exhibition of selected pieces from Mary Robinson's archive called Giving Voice was displayed at Ballina Library during 2015 and will tour in the lead up to the opening of The Mary Robinson Centre. For more information, please see our Events page or sign up to our newsletter.