In 1953 he was appointed deputy director at the newly established Horticulture Research Centre in Loughgall, County Armagh.

Kellogg Foundation was giving grants to people in Britain to provide further training in the USA for agricultural graduates.

I still don't know what gave me the courage but I walked in, asked to see the Director (without an appointment) and told him I wanted a Kellogg Foundation Grant to study at Cornell University in New York State for a year.

He had won a Fulbright Grant to spend some further time in the US, but despite this and ongoing projects, he eventually accepted the offer, taking up the new post in May 1964, moving to live in Ard na Mara, Malahide.

[4] It benefits from a sheltered location with a warm microclimate, and plants growing there include bananas, tree ferns, South African Erica and a range of palms, all flourishing outside without any winter protection.

Several notable individuals have lived at or owned Earslcliffe including; Robinson was a regular panel member on the Irish RTÉ Radio One Ask About Gardening show led by Gerry Daly, answering impromptu gardening questions phoned in by listeners.

For a four-year period, he was also a presenter on the Green Fingers television programme, which was transmitted by BBC Northern Ireland, and RTÉ.

Robinson was the author of over 120 scientific publications, mainly on weed control, and joint editor of three books on horticultural science.

[1] Robinson died in March 2004 and was survived by his wife, Muriel (1929–2016),[1] daughter Karen, son Ivan and their families.