Doonbeg prepares for a momentous Irish Open and Trump visit

For one week, the small west Clare village of Doonbeg will welcome some of the world’s best golfers and the president of the United States. Donald Trump is due to return to the resort that has carried his name since he bought the property in 2014 for a reported €15 million.

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He has visited before and I suppose it is something we are quite used to.

Trump’s visit will coincide with the Irish Open, bringing an extraordinary security operation to the village. Garda leave has been cancelled, and officers from outside the Clare division will be drafted in for his one-night stay. Protesters are expected in Doonbeg and at Shannon Airport, with demonstrations planned around his arrival.

The tournament itself includes defending champion Rory McIlroy and two-time winner Jon Rahm. The DP World Tour has been working on the site since early July, adding grandstands, a tented village and hospitality facilities. Security preparations will become increasingly visible as the week progresses.

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We work very well with the gardaí and the Secret Service to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

“It’s a bit of an extra challenge,” said Joe Russell, managing director of Trump Doonbeg. He said the resort, the DP World Tour, the Gardaí and security agencies would remain in close contact throughout the tournament. He described the atmosphere as one of “nervous excitement.”

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It’s a bit of an extra challenge.

Local business owner and councillor Rita McInerney said residents were accustomed to coordinating with authorities during Trump’s previous visits. “He has visited before and I suppose it is something we are quite used to,” she said. She does not expect him to visit her convenience store, but added: “If the weather becomes nice he might pop in for a 99.” Trump will not play a round of golf during his stay.

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Nervous excitement