Job Opening: Comes With Official Residence

Since Dan Rooney stepped down and left Dublin, there has been no American ambassador residing in the Phoenix Park. It's a nice house, really. Quite large. Historic, in fact. Suited to entertaining large parties.

This could be your new home

What with An Taoiseach in Washington, D.C., for St. Patrick's festivities, you'd think that President Obama might have thought to give Mr. Kenny the gift of an ambassador in exchange for the lovely bowl of shamrock. That, however, did not happen. And after the warm welcome Mr. Obama received when he called in at Moneygall on his genealogy tour, you'd think there was some reciprocating due.

It's not there haven't been names put forward. Apparently the right name has yet to pop up on the Presidential radar.

Being an ambassador is an expensive proposition, which is why ambassadors are traditionally very well off. There is no end to the entertaining, which requires the ambassador to dip into his own pockets because the budget doesn't come close to meeting expenses.

Of late, it seems as if one of the key requirements for the post has been the financial wherewithall to make an enormous donation to the President's fundraising efforts, but once you've ponied up, would you have enough left over for the expensive social circuit in Dublin?

So the job is open, if you're keen to live in Dublin for the next couple of years. It's a lovely place, really, in spite of the climate which won't suit if you're accustomed to Southern California. More of a place for walking or hill-climbing, and the wearing of wool clothing to keep out the damp. But there is a thriving tech scene, aligned with Silicon Valley, and more than a few pharmaceutical manufacturers call Ireland home.

There is that whole tax haven issue, of course, which means you'd have to diplomatically press for an end to Ireland's low corporate tax rate while being diplomatically told to lower your own. All in all, it's just a lot of parties and speeches about how sad you are that the peace process in the Six Counties (that would be Northern Ireland when you're speaking to the unionists) has stalled after so much progress. Not at all difficult for the right personality, and with that grand pile to call home, you can't complain about the benefits.

An easy job, an expensive job, and a largely thankless job. But it comes with a very posh residence and if you're fond of golf Ireland is a great place to spend some time.

Applications are being taken at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. But don't expect a quick reply. It's been fifteen months that the post has been open, with no clear sign of its being filled any time soon.