‘Get him in and out quickly’: Clare locals divided ahead of Trump’s Ireland trip

“Get him in and get him out as quickly as possible”, some Co Clare residents have said in anticipation of US President Donald Trump’s flying visit this weekend.

Many residents of Kilkee – a seaside town just outside Doonbeg where Mr Trump’s golf course is situated – recognised his importance to the local economy even if they did not express any love for his political positions.

Mr Trump will be in Ireland on September 12 and 13 for engagements in the capital Dublin as well as at his golf resort which is hosting the Irish Open.

A Garda motorcycle unit on patrol in Kilkee Co Clare ahead of the visit of US President Donald Trump. (Claudia Savage/PA)

There has been an extensive police presence in Doonbeg and the surrounding areas, with Garda vans and motorcycle units on constant patrol, as well as road closures.

There are a number of protests planned under the “No Welcome for Trump banner” in Dublin, as well as in Doonbeg and at Shannon airport.

Vicky Nolan, from outside Kilkee, said if there are any protests to Mr Trump’s visit then “the more the merrier”.

She said: “I hate the fact that he’s here, but I do understand that the people from Doonbeg rely on him for their livelihoods. However, I won’t be going near the place and I would hope that no one else would be.”

She added: “I’m not a fan in any way, shape, or form of him, I’m not.

“I think he should be in prison after the January 6 riots, after all his indictments, his sexual abuse cases, everything.

Vicky Nolan, from outside Kilkee Co Clare, said if there are any protests to US President’s Donald Trump’s visit then “the more the merrier”.

“And I don’t like his policies, though I think he is turning a bit away from Israel now, but I mean he’s just been so pro-Israel and just war mongering, hasn’t he?”

Ms Nolan said the Irish Government “probably have to” welcome Mr Trump given the level of US investment in Ireland.

“Keep him out the country, that’s what they’re all saying, ‘keep him out the country’,” she said.

“Get him in and get him out as quickly as possible without him doing any damage.”

Co Clare native Michael Moore, said politically he has “no time” for the US president but “if he owns a property, he’s entitled to come and visit it”.

“Personally, I would know a number of people from Doonbeg and they have the utmost respect for him for what he’s done for that village, because if he hadn’t that property there, they would have to emigrate,” he said.

Co Clare man Michael Moore said the Irish Government “have to play ball” with US President Donald Trump even if “he doesn’t play ball with us”. (Claudia Savage/PA)

“That’s the sad part of it, that our own Government are not looking after people like that, that we have to get foreign investment.”

Mr Moore said the Government “have to play ball” with Mr Trump even if “he doesn’t play ball with us”.

“We saw that when our Taoiseach visited him there, I think he more or less brushed him aside,” he said.

He added: “We shouldn’t be getting too much upset about politics.

“We’re a very, very small nation, we have lots of concerns about armies and navies, we’re only a population of five million people.”

Michael McGuire who is originally from Liverpool but holidays in Clare several months a year, said he “can’t say anything nice about the man” and does not “like him one little bit”.

“As far as Trump’s concerned, I just think he’s there just to line his own pockets and all his mates, and we’ll keep it there,” he said.

Rose Benson, from neighbouring Co Limerick, said her family and friends are all golfers and are “only all looking at the golf side of it”.

“I’d love to say something, but I don’t like being negative, so I leave it to you,” she said.