'Relationships are not just about capital cities,' says the British ambassador on his visit to Cork 

'A pleasure delayed' is the Glaswegian diplomat's summary of his trip to Cork, where he and his hosts emphasised co-operation and collegiality, not least on climate change

The president of University College Cork, Professor John O'Halloran, right, presenting a copy of UCC's Cop26 climate change declaration to the British ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, during his visit to Cork yesterday. Picture: Daragh McSweeney/Provision

"Under the rainbow of Cop26, there is an underlying common goal of trying to create new partnerships between cities and regions, and doing so in a way that is genuinely sustainable."

While Dublin and London bare their respective political teeth at each other in a Brexit standoff over the Northern Ireland Protocol British ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, is in Cork to talk a good game on co-operation and collegiality.