Geraldine Byrne Nason (born 1959) is an Irish diplomat who is currently Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America.
Geraldine Byrne Nason | |
|---|---|
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| Ambassador of Ireland to the United States | |
| Assumed office August 2022 | |
| President | Michael D. Higgins |
| Taoiseach | Micheál Martin Leo Varadkar |
| Preceded by | Daniel Mulhall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 (age 64–65) Drogheda, Ireland |
| Citizenship | Irish |
| Nationality |  Ireland |
| Alma mater | St Patrick's College, Maynooth |
Early life and education edit
Nason was born in Drogheda in 1959, and attended Our Lady's College, Greenhills.[1] She has a BA and MA in Literature from St Patrick's College, Maynooth.[2][3]
Career edit
Nason joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1981. She was Director for Governance at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris in the 1990s.[1] She has served at the UN in New York, Vienna, Geneva, and Helsinki.[2]
Nason served as Second Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach from 2011 until 2014, making her the highest-ranking female civil servant in the country.[2][4] In summer 2014, she produced a report of issues that might affect Ireland if the United Kingdom left the European Union.[5]
In August 2014, Nason was appointed Ireland's Ambassador to France and Monaco.[2] Alongside her Swedish counterpart, she started an informal network of women ambassadors and journalists in Paris.[6]
In August 2017, Nason was appointed as Ireland's permanent representative to the UN in New York by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, replacing David Donoghue.[2] She was tasked with trying to secure Ireland a seat on the UN Security Council in 2020 and this effort was successful.[7][8]
In 2018 and 2019 Nason chaired the 62nd and 63rd sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.[9][10]
From January 2021 she held the Irish seat at the U.N. Security Council for its two-year tenure, being President of the council for the month of September 2021.[11]
In 2022 she was appointed Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America.[12]
Awards and honours edit
Nason was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2014.[2] She has an honorary doctorate of letters from Maynooth University.[1] She received the Freedom of the Town of Drogheda on 10 January 2020.[13]
In 2022 she received Concern Worldwide's annual Women of Concern Award "in recognition of her outstanding career as a female leader within the diplomatic and civil service and her unwavering dedication to advocating for women's rights at home and abroad".[14]
Personal life edit
Nason is married to Brian Nason, and they have one son.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "New Permanent Representative of Ireland Presents Credentials". United Nations. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Top United Nations role for Geraldine". The Drogheda Independent. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Geraldine Byrne Nason". Maynooth University.
- ^ Beesley, Arthur (3 April 2014). "Senior official in Department of Taoiseach to leave position". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Connelly, Tony (2017). Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response. Penguin UK. ISBN 9781844884285.
- ^ Marlowe, Lara (9 June 2015). "Irish envoy gathers powerful women together". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Murphy, Hubert (1 July 2017). "Geraldine is true ambassador for her beloved town". Drogheda Independent. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Ireland wins seat at United Nations Security Council". 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ DFAT website
- ^ Take Five "Delivering the quantum change we need is not just a women's issue", 11 March 2019
- ^ Devane, Catherine (September 2021). "Ireland begins month-long presidency of United Nations security council". www.irishcentral.com. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
- ^ "Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America-Geraldine Byrne Nason". www.dfa.ie. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ Murphy, Hubert (4 January 2020). "Geraldine to gain freedom of Drogheda in January event". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason receives Women of Concern Award". www.concern.net. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.