Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent

Leo Varadkar: Irish leader caps off legacy of firsts with shock departure

Leo Varadkar in Washington.
Varadkar, pictured in Washington this year, had a glamorous image overseas. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

When Leo Varadkar was a teenager on a school trip to Northern Ireland he smuggled fireworks back into the republic to set off some illicit bangs – but it is only now that he has sent a boom echoing across Ireland.

At the age of 45, Ireland’s youngest – and first gay, and first mixed race – taoiseach is stepping down.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.