*USA flags flying outside Tubridy’s Bar and Restaurant in Doonbeg.
A JUDGE today has given the green light for Amgen Irish Open revellers at Trump Doonbeg and across pubs in the west Clare village of Doonbeg to consume alcohol late into the night over the next seven nights.
At Kilrush District Court today, Judge Adrian Harris granted an area exemption order under the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962 for a special event licence due to Trump Doonbeg staging the Amgen Irish Open which commences on Thursday.
Over 80,000 golf fans are expected to attend Trump Doonbeg for the event and Sgt John Burke told the court that there was no Garda objection to the special event licence which will allow the Trump Doonbeg resort and five pubs in Doonbeg to operate until 1.30am Wednesday morning, September 9th until the early hours of next Tuesday.
Solicitor for the applicants, Gearóid Williams told the court that the area application was for the upcoming Amgen Irish Open at Trump Doonbeg.
The duration of the area extension commences on Tuesday night, September 8th and continues every night to extend until 1.30am next Tuesday morning September 15th.
In total, the General Exemption Order involves six licence holders including General Manager of Trump Doonbeg, Joe Russell who signed the application on behalf of Trump Doonbeg firm, TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd.
David Tubridy of Tubridy’s bar was the nominee applicant and he admitted today: “We don’t really know what is going to come at us.”
Mr Tubridy said that there is a ‘great buzz’ around Doonbeg and the village is looking great through “great work from the Tidy Towns and Clare Co Council”.
He said that 40 to 50 homes have been newly painted in the village where paint producer, Fleetwood has been the sponsor.
Mr Tubridy said that the village will be staging a Fáilte Festival over the weekend to coincide with the golf.
Mr Tubridy said that publicans in Doonbeg have got pointers on what to expect from publicans in Lahinch which staged the 2019 Irish Open.
President Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jnr are expected to be part of the Trump travelling party and during President Trump’s previous visit the two went on an impromptu pub crawl in Doonbeg village in June 2019 visiting local pubs and buying rounds of drinks for the patrons.
Mr Tubridy said: “Any time Eric visits the golf course he always comes down to the village asking ‘how can we improve things?’.
Eamon Vaughan of Morrissey’s Bar and Restaurant also signed the exemption application.
He said today: “We are getting ready to go but we really know what to expect. It is going to be a great week for Doonbeg and west Clare.”
The other licence holders to sign the exemption order application are listed as Caroline Kennedy, Martin Madigan and Ita Comerford.
