*Doughmore Beach. Photograph: Arthur Ellis
A petition containing over 104,000 signatures opposing the construction of coastal protection works at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland is to be delivered to US President Donald Trump when he arrives in Doonbeg.
Save the Waves, a California conservation organisation, organised the petition in partnership with Irish NGOs. FIE Director Tony Lowes, who is bringing the petition to Doonbeg on behalf of the NGOs, said that they hope to deliver the petition, on an electronic stick to save paper, to the President. They have notified An Garda Síochána of their plans.
“It is important that people realise that whatever about the understandable support for Trump locally, the destruction of the dune system is opposed world-wide”, Mr. Lowes told The Clare Echo in a statement.
Locally the West Coast Surf Club, and Save Doughmore Doonbeg Beach Community Group have been joined by the newly formed Lahinch Chapter of Surfrider EU Foundation in opposing the project.
Lexi Keating of Surfriders stated, “We’d like to emphasise that in spite of what you might read, many people locally are opposed to the way Donald Trump is behaving. The growing positive economic impact of surfing to the area is being ignored, as is the value of the delicate natural ecosystem that makes Doughmore so beautiful”.
Signatures for the petition have come from individuals living in the US, Australia and also from a representative of the Clare Biodiversity Group.
