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We can’t find Iris Robinson; will she ever find herself?
Saturday, 9 January 2010
It’s disconcerting when somebody you think you know well suddenly behaves in an unexpected manner. When it’s DUP firebrand Iris Robinson — who had an affair with a 19-year-old — the shock is immense.
Hundreds of thousands of jaws dropped on Thursday night when BBC Spotlight broke the story.
Suddenly the Iris Robinson who dwelt in the popular consciousness had changed beyond recognition.
She maybe hinted that the real Iris was a different creature.
In a Belfast Telegraph interview about her mum Mary, she said: “Am I a strong person? You can always put on a face, but inside I’m a big softie.”
That gives a possible clue to the development of the Robinson persona and the reason it shattered in March last year on a night when Iris felt she couldn’t take any more.
There is no doubt that from childhood onwards Iris imbibed the principles of duty, honesty and the Christian work ethic.
Iris was daddy’s girl and was devastated after her father Joseph died when she was only six.
As one of seven and the oldest daughter, Iris found herself in the challenging position of substitute mother as Mary had to work to keep the family together.
At 16, she enrolled at Cregagh Technical College where Peter was a student.
Iris had noticed the young Mr Robinson and said it was “love at first sight”.
The couple were married and their three children Jonathan, Rebekah and Gareth have all followed them into politics.
Her faith journey has been interesting, taking her from a Presbyterian background to the evangelical Metropolitan Tabernacle.
Being ‘saved’ is the real badge of pride, and Iris has said that when she attended a service in her local church to seek relief for post-natal depression following the birth of Jonathan she had an experience that confirmed her faith.
To her amazement, Iris heard the speaker recount a meeting with a dying English soldier in the UVF hospital, Galwally. She was thrilled when she heard that this man who’d been saved at the last minute was her father.
Politically, Iris has come a long way after being initially a political wife, supporting Peter’s career. Her own ambitions surfaced later.
She was elected as a DUP councillor in Castlereagh in 1989, and became the borough's first female mayor in 1992. She was elected to the Assembly in 1998 and became the MP for Strangford in 2001.
In December, Iris said she was leaving public life because of severe depression.
There was widespread sympathy, and even when her husband made an emotional statement on TV last Wednesday and confirmed the rumour that she’d had an affair, the public were inclined to be generous.
But with the details of what looked like a fairly sordid affair emerging, public opinion changed.
Like all women, Iris Robinson has had to balance the demands of home, family and career — and politics is a difficult career for men or women with families.
Even though this phase of her career may have ended ignominiously, life goes on.
Iris will be waking up tomorrow, reportedly abroad, and have the next few decades to fill. She should not despair.
This annus horribilis, to quote The Queen, will pass. The soundbites will fall silent, the headlines fade, and like other survivors such as Edwina Currie she will have the opportunity to reinvent herself, and maybe finally become the Iris she wants to be.
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Iris Robinson appears to have been suffering from Bi-Polar disease. Yet no -one explains how horrendous this can be for the individual and the family. How she was allowed to continue with her jobs inview of severe depression means someone other than herself needs to take responsibility.
I have every sympathy with her although under no circumstances can I agree wiyh her politics.
Bi-polar changes people dramatically-Peter Robinson should have taken steps for his wife to receive treatment before all these events occurred.
Posted by Nationalist | 24.01.10, 17:36 GMT
ladygeekgeek: How bout her hatred of Catholics. Do we not count.?
We are human too. Unless of course you're a bigot also.
Posted by Jim | 10.01.10, 20:23 GMT
i went 2 school with iris i hope things work out for her and peter they are together 40 years
Posted by margaret cupples | 09.01.10, 19:09 GMT
Edwina Currie,a different case.
She told all in her book,
a decade later
Posted by sadoldsod | 09.01.10, 17:31 GMT
Annus horribilis will pass, I do not think so, where ever she goes there will be whispers of`sugar granny´ and `cuckold peter´.No, Iris has cooked her christmas goose
Posted by ron54 | 09.01.10, 12:33 GMT
the fox has conviently went to ground ,but the old adage you can run but you cant hide is true, also let us not let this deflect us of an other serious issue the adams affair
Posted by william | 09.01.10, 09:07 GMT
You are far too kind about this despicable woman.
She has been insulting millions of homo-sexuals again and again.
The damage she has done to young people who are having problems over their sexuality is immense.
One can only hope she disappears from public life forever and will spend the rest of her days coming to terms with the realisation that her behaviour has been evil.
Posted by aart van kruiselbergen | 09.01.10, 08:55 GMT
so..homosexuals can be cured? what about cougars
Posted by dave | 09.01.10, 04:11 GMT
Widespread sympathy? Where? Why does this article not touch on her widespread hatred and judgement on gay people - the condemnation of those people who supposedly disobey the word of the bible. Hypocrisy? Iris is indeed need of a saviour, for even those of us 'unborn' we know how to treat our fellow men and women with respect and dignity. Perhaps she should observe how 'decent' people really live. If there is a god, may they forgive her. I do. But I hope god has forgiven me in my moment of enjoying divine karma.
Posted by ladygeekgeek | 09.01.10, 01:52 GMT