My father was the orphaned son of immigrants to the United States from Ireland. My father never knew his parents. His mother died - we're not sure - either at or shortly after his birth, and he and all of his siblings were placed in orphanages in the Boston area.

In 2012 (BBC: George Mitchell: My journey's end) he visited Northern Ireland with his son the same age as Claire was when George J. Mitchell was blinded and Claire was told that he had named his daughter after her because he always remembered her. Mitchell's personal intervention with the parties was crucial to the success of the talks. '"Abraham Foxman the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League has stated that "Sen.

He has taken a leading role in negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland and the Middle East being specifically appointed United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland (1995-2001) by President Clinton and as United States Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2009-2011) by President Obama. Mitchell currently serves as a co-chair of the Housing Commission at the Bipartisan Policy Center.