Did Leo Varadkar outflank Justin Trudeau in battle of the socks?

Photo: @MerrionStreet

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

thumbnail: Photo: @MerrionStreet
thumbnail: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney
thumbnail: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney
thumbnail: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney
thumbnail: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney
thumbnail: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney
Kirsty Blake Knox

They're calling it a .... sock off? Sock diplomacy? Who knows.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomed Canadian Prime Minister at Farmeigh this morning as part of his three day tour of Ireland.

In a nod to Trudeau's appreciation of colourful socks, Varadkar wore a pair of postbox red socks with Mounties and Maple Leaves.

Meanwhile, Trudeau opted for striped socks as he continued his trip.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney

Mr Trudeau will meet President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin later today.

The visit comes ahead of a G20 summit in Germany, where a proposed trade deal between Canada and the EU and Brexit will be high on the agenda.

Mr Trudeau has several other engagements in Dublin, including a business lunch and a visit to see the Famine memorial statues in the city centre before a state dinner is hosted by the Taoiseach.

The Canadian PM is accompanied on the trip by his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and their young son Hadrien.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes his first official foreign visitor, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Farmleigh. Picture; Gerry Mooney