Bantry / Sunday 7 – Saturday 13 July - West Cork Music

Friday 12 July20.30 / Maritime Hotel / €22AN EVENING WITH MARY ROBINSONFormer President of Ireland, Mary Robinson will discussher bestselling autobiography, Everybody Matters, with Alison O’ConnorOne of the most inspiring women of our age, Mary Robinson was the first female Presidentof Ireland, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of the Council of WomenWorld Leaders. As an academic, legislator and barrister she sought to use law as an instrumentfor social change, arguing landmark cases before the European Court of Human Rights andthe European Court of Justice in Luxembourg as well as in the Irish courts. As President she iscredited with enhancing the image of Ireland and placing it firmly on the international stageas a modern country with a strong focus on humanitarian issues.After seven years as President, Mary Robinson spent five years as UN High Commissionerfor Human Rights. She established Realizing Rights in 2002 which came to a planned endin 2010. Her many awards and honours include the US Presidential Medal of Freedomand the Indira Ghandi and Sydney Peace Prizes. She is also honorary President of OxfamInternational and a member of the Elders, an independent group of global leaders workingfor peace and human rights that includes Kofi Annan and President Jimmy Carter. Nowheading her own Climate Justice foundation, she continues to work on behalf of the millionsof poor around the world most affected by climate change.Alison O’Connor is a journalist and broadcaster. Her work as a political columnist involvesregular commentary on current affairs on radio and television. Most recently she has workedas a columnist for The Sunday Times and RTÉ Radio One’s Drivetime programme. She is anative of Bantry, Co Cork.22.30 / Maritime Hotel / Open Mike / FREEMary Robinson25