Skip to 48 seconds for the Taoiseach’s appearance

AS TAOISEACH, ENDA Kenny has to show up at all manner of situations: tense Cabinet meetings, explaining why a party member was appointed to a state board before a Seanad nomination, chasing geese in Tayto Park.

But at the Ploughing Championships in Stradbally today, he cast all John McNulty worries aside when making an impromptu visit to congratulate the winner of the National Brown Bread Championship.

While champion baker Betty Williams from Tipperary was mid-speech, Kenny (perhaps led there by the waft from a still-warm loaf) excitedly entered stage left, thrust out his hand in congratulations, and cheekily asked: “Am I going to sample some brown bread?”

As TV3′s Late Lunch Live cameras rolled, he grasped Betty’s hand and leaning in, almost nose-to-nose, half-whispered: “I believe you’ve been baking for some time, over the years?”

Within seconds he was off, to congratulate the runner-up…

And, we hope, sample some of that award-winning bread.

It’s hungry work, being Taoiseach.