Colin Wrafter - 2016 Retiree

2016 saw my retirement, having joined the Irish Foreign Service in 1978. With a keen interest in international affairs and Ireland’s evolution as actor on the world stage, I was delighted to serve my country in a career to which I was completely committed.

In Buenos Aires in 1981, I compiled a list of the Embassy’s objectives, the first was monitoring the situation in relation to the Falklands/Malvinas Islands. A year later Argentina launched its invasion that resulted in a considerable loss of life, demonstrating that failures of diplomacy can have awful consequences.

The world of diplomacy has changed. In the early days we often had little information to work on, today colleagues have to manage information overload but the essential task remains the same, to help the Government navigate its way in the international sphere, promoting peace, human dignity and prosperity both in the island of Ireland and aboard. 

My last post was as director of Human Rights which I thoroughly enjoyed. If I were still in the Department I would love to work on Brexit, the most challenging and complex task facing Irish diplomats for decades. I wish my colleagues well, knowing that those involved are rising to the considerable challenges involved.