Our honorary consul-general in the south of France has been awarded the Légion d'Honneur, writes Deaglán de Bréadún
Like all the most important things in life, it happened by accident.
Pierre Joannon and his bride Annick were planning a honeymoon in Scotland in 1964 but were put off by reports of a typhoid epidemic. They decided to go to Ireland instead. The rest is history. They toured the island for a month and "fell in love" with the place.
Pierre did his university doctorate in Nice on the making of our 1922 and 1937 Constitutions.
In 1973, the mandarins in the Department of Industry and Commerce, as it then was, needed doors opened in Monaco so they could find out some of the secrets of that small Mediterranean state's success in attracting foreign finance and investment.
Living in nearby Antibes and coming from an industrial family, Joannon knew the right people.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, one Garret FitzGerald, duly appointed him to the unpaid post of Irish honorary consul (later consul-general) for the south of France.
Since 1973 he has co-edited Études Irlandaises. He has written 10 books on Irish subjects and edited 10 more. He wrote the only biography in French of Michael Collins; sales were boosted considerably when his friend Neil Jordan made a movie on the subject. He also wrote a biography of John Hume: they have been friends for 25 years.
In 1990, he founded the Ireland Fund of France to raise funds to promote peace and reconciliation, arts, culture and education. He is involved with the University of Notre Dame and the Irish College in Paris.
Five years ago he was awarded Irish citizenship and, last night, the French Ambassador, Mr Gabriel de Bellescize, awarded him the Légion d'Honneur for his contribution towards the strengthening of Franco-Irish relations.
The guest list included two Nobel prizewinners, John Hume and Seamus Heaney; former taoiseach Charles Haughey; senators Maurice Manning and David Norris; Dr T.K. Whitaker, and academics Joe Lee and Kevin Whelan.
Founded by Napoleon in May, 1802, the Légion d'Honneur is the highest distinction awarded for services rendered to the French republic. Joannon said he had "no rational explanation for this strange love of Ireland" which had become a home away from home.