'We were a great trio one time,' Micheál Martin tells Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan

Taoiseach Micheal Martin: 'And given the historic relationship between the United Kingdom and France, I also felt that you displayed intimate patience, tolerance, integrity, and that solidarity, I think, has resonated with the people of Ireland.' File picture: Liam McBurney/PA

Could Micheál Martin be off to a posting in the diplomatic corps?

The Taoiseach seemed at home on Dublin's embassy row as he basked in the evening sun and the warmth of a receptive audience at Bastille Day celebrations. Hosted by the French ambassador to Ireland, Celine Place, the annual garden party at the residence on Ailesbury Road always attracts a crowd.

Picking out former taoiseach Leo Varadkar and former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who was down the back donning a colourful Hawaiian-style linen shirt, Martin had the crowd in stiches when he claimed: "We were a great trio one time. Good to see you. We did a lot together."

A rose-tinted view of the previous coalition matched the magnums of Whispering Angel on offer to guests gathered on the lawn, which included attorney general Rossa Fanning, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst, former tánaiste Simon Coveney along with a clatter of ministers, politicians, and political advisers from every party and none.

Martin said he was "delighted" to share the outdoor stage with guest of honour and former prime minister of France, "our good friend" Michel Barnier.

Paying tribute to the man who, as key Brexit negotiator, regularly visited Ireland and heard concerns on both sides of the border, the Taoiseach said the Frenchman had advocated, at every twist and turn, for pragmatic solutions to best serve Irish citizens and businesses.

"And given the historic relationship between the United Kingdom and France, I also felt that you displayed intimate patience, tolerance, integrity, and that solidarity, I think, has resonated with the people of Ireland," Martin said to further laughter from the crowd.

Barnier, during his own address, said Ireland holds a special place in his heart, sparking appreciative applause for his use of the seanfhocal: "Ní neart le chur le chéile."

With the occasional champagne cork popping in the background, Martin turned his focus to another Cork, his home county, which has been matched with France as part of the EU presidency pairing programme. The Taoiseach said this match would "bring extraordinary benefits to France".

Minister Timmy Dooley heckled, "Where's Cork?", but it didn't put the Fianna Fáil leader off his stride as he gushed about the Rebel County being the "location of the newest maritime link between Ireland and France".

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

He said the new route to Boulogne-sur-Mer reflects the growing people-to-people and trade links between the countries.

As a two-time foreign affairs minister, Martin has, it appears, been taking notes over the years on the attributes required to successfully manoeuvre through the diplomatic world.

Niall Burgess, who has just concluded a highly successful four-and-a-half-year posting as Ireland's ambassador to France, and who was also in attendance, came in for a mention.

"Niall is a very good ambassador because he has that great capacity to get you off the official schedule and to do something different, which I always like in ambassadors; others please take note!"

Martin explained how the French ambassador, Celine Place, had scheduled in a trip to the military archives in Vincennes, where he saw lots of spy maps of Ireland.

Place and her team had set up a big screen outdoors to allow those gathered watch the World Cup semi-final between France and Spain. Martin, who had wished Les Bleus the best of luck, had already left by the time the mood began to flatten as the French bowed out.

With speculation always rife around his next steps, perhaps the Taoiseach might be considering an ambassador of Cork role. Of course as a native of the Rebel County, he will argue that he has passionately worked in that gig his entire life — just like the 584,000 fellow Corkonians.

• Elaine Loughlin, political editor