A Cork author's book and the Taoiseach's visit to China: In politics, there's always a local angle 

This trip is about strengthening ties with a superpower to our east which has money and influence to expend, but Ireland at the same time does not want to be a gadfly to the superpower to our west, writes Paul Hosford

Minister Micheál Martin speaks during the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Picture: Andy Wong/AP

It being Micheál Martin, it was no surprise to hear a Cork angle.

But it being some 8,500km from the Rebel County and in the context of a meeting with the leader of a world superpower, it did jar somewhat.