British ambassador to leave diplomatic service but remain in Dublin after ‘falling in love with the city'
Speaking at a garden party at the ambassador's residence to mark
King Charles
's birthday, Mr Johnston says he will be taking up a new, non-diplomatic job in Dublin later this year.
Saying he wanted to break 'a little bit of news' to 700 guests gathered at the Glencairn home, Mr Johnston quoted Russian author's Leo Tolstoy's remark that 'people are the lights of every city'.
'That's very much what it's felt like for Nicola [his wife] and me in Ireland – that the people we've met have been the highlight of our time here. And it's primarily because of the people that we've met that we've taken quite a big decision,' he told the attendance. They had 'so fallen in love with the city' that they had decided to stay in Dublin permanently.
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'After 35 years with the UK public service, and some wonderful postings and some wonderful experiences, we've decided that we want to open a new chapter in our life and to do it here in Dublin,' he said to cheers.
Mr Johnston (57), who was born in Scotland, started his civil service career at the UK ministry of defence in 1990 before he moved to the foreign and commonwealth office in 1993. He has served in a number of diplomatic roles prior to his appointment as envoy in Dublin in 2020, including as the UK ambassador to Sweden from 2011 to 2016 and as the deputy permanent representative to Nato from 2016 to 2017.
The ambassador came to Ireland five years ago during the height of the Covid pandemic and he was at the centre of often very difficult British-Irish relations over the UK's departure from the European Union.
He said he cannot yet disclose what role he will take up later this year as it is 'subject to a UK government approval process'.
'I can say that we couldn't be more happy or more excited,' he added.
Representing the Government, the Minister for Transport,
Darragh O'Brien
, said: 'We really want to thank you for the hard work that you've done here, for your friendship and wish you all the very, very best in your next posting. And we are looking forward to working, obviously, with your successor here,' the Minister said.
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