Colm Fitzpatrick
Former president of the United States, Donald Trump. A priest has said his parishioners will be “delighted” when the US president arrives in Ireland next month.
The comments come after the White House confirmed Donald Trump is to visit Ireland on June 5, and is expected to stay at his golf resort in Clare during his stay.
Fr Joe Haugh of Doonbeg parish said it’s “a good thing” that Mr Trump is coming to the west coast of Clare, noting that it generates a high amount of employment in the area.
“They’ll be delighted because he employs 260 people here in the summer and nobody else will do that for us,” he told The Irish Catholic. “It’s incredible, there’s nobody else who will come and do it on the West Coast of Clare.”
With the visit likely to cause uproar for many who disagree with the president’s views on topics like immigration and climate change, Fr Haugh said that everyone is entitled to express their views.
“They’re entitled to think that way. There’s freedom here in this world, you’re free to express yourself.”
Road closures
Donald Trump bought the lodge and golf club for an estimated €1.5million in 2014. It currently employs 305 people.
This coming Monday there will be road closures and no-fly zones implemented ahead of Mr Trump’s visit on Wednesday. He will arrive in the morning with his wife Melania and meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Shannon before heading to Doonbeg hotel.
It is expected that the US navy will be protecting the president during his visit with a warship and nuclear submarine positioned off the West coast in the days before he arrives.
Annual leave for gardaí has been cancelled for the duration of the visit and hundreds of Irish troops will be sent to Clare from barracks across the country.