Aoife Moore: Analytical Cork man gives bombastic Boris a lesson in diplomacy

As a former teacher, the Taoiseach has plenty of experience dealing with class clowns who believe they know everything

As with their meeting in Belfast last August, Taoiseach Micheál Martin had to draw on a lifetime of diplomacy when engaging with UK prime minister Boris Johnson this week. Picture: Brian Lawless

Diplomatic friendships are tricky by design. Leaders are often thrust into defending the actions or statements of their ‘friends’ which they wouldn’t normally agree with. On this troubled island, no diplomatic friendship has been more important or more frustrating than that which we have with Britain.

This island, as it has been before, is at a crossroads.