Twelve months ago today, our former president, Mary Robinson, left her job and Ireland to become UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. At her side was her faithful adviser and aide since 1990, Bride Rosney. Bride originally agreed to go to Geneva for six months and this term was then extended by a further five. She left the employ of the UN earlier this month and is now back in Dublin. She was not in Beijing this week for the row with The Irish Times over who could or could not join Robinson in Tibet.
After a longish break - her first proper one in eight years, (in her last two jobs, she finished one and entered the other the same day), she will be looking for employment in Ireland. "Something in the general area of communications", is the only indication she will give of what she plans to do next.