Patrick O'Connor, Ireland's outgoing Ambassador to Paris, won't forget the farewell lunch at the French Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. At the end of a sumptuous meal overlooking the Seine, washed down with ChΓteau La Parde-Haut-Bailly 1997, the ministry's Secretary General, Loic Hennekinne, raised a glass of Bollinger to O'Connor and Franco-Irish friendship. He then walked around the long table to pin the beribboned medal of Grand Officier de l'Ordre National de MΘrite on O'Connor's lapel and kissed him on both cheeks.
The ambassador joked that while he claims no credit for doubling trade between Ireland and France during his six- years in Paris, he does feel responsible for Ireland's 2000 and 2001 rugby victories over France.
Ireland's previous win was in 1972, when O'Connor served his first tour as a third secretary in Paris.
Among the 19 guests were President Chirac's diplomatic adviser, Jean-Marc Rochereau de la Sabliere, Prime Minister Jospin's economic advisor, Jean Vidal, Patrick Ricard, the chairman of Pernod Ricard which owns Irish Distillers, and members of the French Senate and National Assembly.
Quidnunc is at rholohan@irish-times.ie