*US President, Donald Trump at the members bar of Trump Doonbeg.
PERFECTING THE art of splitting opinion, US President Donald Trump received a glowing reception in Doonbeg upon arrival while thousands of people have protested his arrival with demonstrations in Shannon, Dublin and Doonbeg with three women arrested over the past two days in relation to trespassing and public order offences.
Three women have been arrested for trespassing and public order offences at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel while in the members bar of the five-star resort President Trump was given a euphoric welcome when he arrived on Saturday.
Gardaí are pitched at every crossroad on the approach to Doonbeg as part of the extensive security and policing operation which will continue into Sunday while the 47th President of the United States of America remains in Ireland.
Ongoing restrictions on traffic and movements in West Clare will continue tomorrow (Sunday).
On Friday, a woman aged in her twenties was arrested for trespassing on the golf links.
Two women aged in their thirties and forties were arrested on Saturday for public order offences on the golf links. The trio are to appear before a special sitting of Ennis District Court. Two of them were released on bail and will appear before Kilrush District Court next month.
President Trump arrived in Doonbeg on the Marine One helicopter shortly before 3pm on Saturday. Play during the Amgen Irish Open was forced to pause for a short spell as the aircraft landed in between two military chinooks, close to the third tee.
When he arrived in the courtyard Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg, President Trump received rapturous applause with cheers of “USA USA” greeting his arrival. It was a similar reception when he made his way through the members bar of the Doonbeg resort.
Within half an hour, President Trump was at the grandstand of the eighteenth green where he was flanked by his sons Eric and Don Jnr along with golf pro in Doonbeg, Brian Shaw.
Demonstrations took place in Shannon, Doonbeg and Dublin by those opposed to the visit of the US President.
Well-known activist Sarah Clancy, the co-ordinator for Clare PPN and frequent columnist with The Clare Champion was among those involved in the Doonbeg demonstration.
Speaking on RTÉ, Sarah stated, “there are countless villages just like this (Doonbeg) that have been completely wiped out in Gaza. There is something like 100 villages that they have destroyed in South Lebannon with their warfare at the moment, I think of the school, the 120 girls that were killed and if you think here we are in West Clare, imagine if 120 of the young children lost their lives needlessly and senselessly from the actions of Donald Trump , in an aggressive and illegal war on a country, you would want someone to protest for you”.
Photographs from Shannon protest by Joe Buckley
