President, the Seventh President of Ireland, the First Female President of Ireland; Mary Robinson’s title is an impressive one. Born Marie Therese Winifred Bourke in Ballina, County Mayo in 1944, Robinson continues to be an effective leader for Ireland and human rights (Anderson, Herr). Her strong educational background has aided her in her political career. In addition, Robinson’s outspokenness and passion for others are defining aspects of her character, allowing her to be an influential public figure.

      As the daughter of a dominating Tess O’Donnell Bourke, Robinson became used to dealing with arguments and differences of opinion. It was also because of her mother’s snooty personality that influenced Robinson to speak out for fixing inequalities (McMahon). Further effects on Robinson’s career came from her relatives’ involvement in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, her father’s medical practice, as well as her grandfather’s career as a lawyer (McMahon). Robinson’s higher education began at Trinity College, where she graduated with a distinguished scholarship and the unsettling feeling when discovering that Trinity’s most prestigious societies were male only (Anderson, Herr). She advanced onto The King’s Inn and soon after, Harvard University where she earned her law degrees. Two years after that, she was married to Nicholas Robinson. Robinson did not allow this union to cause her independence to falter as she still advocated for women’s rights and allowing wives to be taxed separately from their husbands (McMahon). Nicholas and Mary had three children together. Against all odds in 1969, the young, female liberal won a Trinity College Senate Seat in the upper house of the Irish Parliament (McMahon). Robinson’s fight for women’s rights was never ending, as she was active against Ireland’s prohibition of divorce and contraceptives. Even after controversy erupted and rejection after its first reading, Mary Robinson led the law which banned the sale and importation of contraceptives to be overturned in 1973 (McMahon).

      Through the 1970’s and 1980’s, Robinson participated in many prominent law decisions because as she explained, “the more we are ready to branch out and fulfill ourselves in the life of the country, the more doors will open in the face of quiet ability (Robinson).” Some of these cases included; abolishing all-male, rate paying juries, the rights to free legal assistance in civil cases, equal tax treatment for married couples, gay rights, and equal pay for women workers(McMahon). Robinson had to overcome her losses as a Labour Candidate, even losing supporters due to the birth of her third child (McMahon). Robinson was angered by the Northern Ireland unionist’s views being ignored. In 1985, an unsatisfied Robinson made the decision to resign from the Labour Party (McMahon).

      After twenty years in the Senate, Robinson decided against running for re-election, so that her and her husband would be able to work on the Irish Centre for European Law at Trinity College (McMahon). Robinson was urged by the senior Labour party member, John Rogers, to run as the Labour candidate during the Presidential election of Ireland. With her husband’s strong support, Robinson decided to accept the Labour nomination. However, she insisted that she stay independent, as Robinson strongly believed this would give her a better chance (McMahon). Robinson’s campaign as the first ever woman candidate for the Irish presidency began on May 1, 1990, with a surprisingly small amount of press coverage. She focused her campaign in rural Ireland as to maintain her goal of reassuring, “conservative rural voters that she was not a dangerous radical (McMahon).” Robinson’s weak explanation of her stance on access to birth control and gay rights was saved by her opponent, Brian Lenihan, who experienced a political scandal during the campaign. Robinson won the election in November, which she attributed to the women of Ireland who, “instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system (Robinson).”

      However, Robinson’s time in office did not start out smoothly. In order for the President to leave the country, permission from the government was required. A restless Robinson was continuously denied her requests to travel in order to lecture and advocate (McMahon). Robinson’s campaign promises stood strong as she represented the poor, homeless, unemployed, physically and mentally handicapped, women, gays, and lesbians. She worked tirelessly to improve relations with the British as she became the first Irish president to meet a British monarch (McMahon). Robinson caused an uproar once again with her attempts to better relations in Northern Ireland by meeting with the leader of the IRA, Gerry Adams (McMahon). Robinson broke free of Irish traditions and traveled the world, her most crucial visits being to a famine filled, divided Somalia and a destroyed Rwanda. She spoke to the UN, urging them to create a stronger response to the issues in both places (McMahon). After her seven year term as President of Ireland, Robinson turned to the UN to continue her career. She was appointed as the UN’s Commissioner for Human Rights, where Robinson was intent on turning around the morale of her team and the hopeless situations in different countries (McMahon).

      Robinson’s active political career and her desire to overcome inequalities allowed her to be a capable and effective president. It was through her assistance and hard work that Ireland is now an improved country. Robinson’s persuasive speeches led to the overturning of oppressive laws and aid to countries and groups in need. She has committed herself to the people. Robinson maintained her goal of overcoming prejudice through the way she believes best, “not [by emphasizing] that you are a woman, but to show that you can do a job efficiently and well (Robinson).”

Bibliography

Robinson, Mary(1944- ). Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice. Eds.Gary Anderson and Kathryn Herr. Vol. 3. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2007.

Robinson, Mary(1944- ). Deirdre McMahon.Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Eds. Anne Commire and Deborah Klemzer. Vol. 13. Detroit: Yorkin Publications,2002.