Diplomatic manoeuvres

It's the time of year when our diplomats in Iveagh House are shuffled around and speculation on who is getting the plum posts gathered pace this week. Word from the department indicates that our man in Madrid, Richard Ryan, is moving to the UN in New York and that John Campbell will move from the New York permanent representation to Lisbon to replace ambassador John Burke, who died suddenly last year. Noel Fahey is leaving Iveagh House to be ambassador in Bonn and Eamonn O Tuathail moves from South Africa to the Holy See, where he will live in the beautiful Villa Spada in Rome. Gearoid O Broin is expected to be transferred from the Vatican to Helsinki.