Robinson, Mary (1944– )

Irish academic and Labour politician, president 1990–97. She became a professor of law at the age of 25. A strong supporter of women's rights, she campaigned for the liberalization of Ireland's laws prohibiting divorce and abortion. From 1997 to 2002 she was the United Nations (UN) high commissioner for human rights. From 2002 she has been honourary president of the charity Oxfam, and is chair of the International Institute for Environment and Development.

Robinson won a seat in the Irish senate (Seanad Éireann) in 1969 and held it for 20 years. As a lawyer she achieved an international reputation in the field of human rights. She tried unsuccessfully to enter the Dáil Éireann (lower house of parliament) in 1990, and then surprisingly won the presidency of her country.

Robinson was born in County Mayo and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and Harvard University, USA. In 1969 she became the youngest law professor at Trinity College. As a member of the Labour Party, she fought two unsuccessful elections to enter the Dáil Éireann but entered the senate instead.

At the start of the presidential campaign she was the 100–1 underdog, but then the leading contestant, the Fianna Fáil candidate Brian Lenihan (1930– ), was sacked as deputy prime minister by Charles Haughey following charges of scandal. The first woman to hold the post, Robinson raised the profile of the presidency considerably, campaigning for greater equality for women and holding an outward-looking, pro-European stance.