'Appalling' - Clare protestors say Trump not welcome

While thousands came out on the streets of Dublin to protest the private visit of US president Donald Trump, there were smaller numbers in Co Clare.

"We're welcoming a man, who we should not be welcoming to this country in any way, shape or form," said Grainne Carr, a protester at Doonbeg village.

Ms Carr was one of around 30 protesters who came to village to demonstrate against the visit.

Protesters gathered yesterday in view of the golf spectators being bussed to watch the Irish Open at the Trump International Golf Club.

They said they wanted to let President Donald Trump and his entourage know that they were not welcome in Co Clare.

"It is appalling that we are spending taxpayers' money, approximately €20 million of taxpayers' money on welcoming this man to our country," Ms Carr added.

The protesters said they had no problem with the Irish Open itself, and several said they hoped Shane Lowry would win, but wanted to make their abhorrence at Donald Trump - the owner of the golf resort where the Irish Open is taking place - clear.

Another protester from Galway, Bernie Ní Fhlarta, was showing the golf spectators a sign that read 'No Fáilte for Fascists'.

"I really appreciate the democracy we have here in Ireland," Ms Ní Fhlarta explained, "and I would hate to think that anything that's going on in America at the minute is going to creep in here."

She added that she was disgusted that the president of the United States came to Ireland on a private visit.

"I think is so inappropriate for a president of any country to be using his or her political clout to be furthering a family business."

Other protesters told RTÉ's This Week that they wanted to make it clear that they stood against the things that Mr Trump stands for.

One protester described herself as a "proud queer woman" and came to protest in Doonbeg to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. She mentioned trans people in particular as suffering under the presidency of Mr Trump.

Meanwhile, another protest took place outside Shannon Airport. It was outside the campus of the airport and not at the usual Peace Roundabout.

Protesters were allowed in a small grassy space outside the campus, with fencing on either side of the footpath and where very few people could see their demonstration.

It was a half an hour walk from the protest point to the designated protest car park with barricades along one side of the road.

John Lannon of ShannonWatch told RTÉ's This Week said they were "very disappointed" with how the gardaí had managed the protest.

"Our protests have been shackled and corralled by the gardaí," he said. There were around 300 protesters at its height, with nearly a similar number of gardaí.

"The number of gardaí here, the amount of effort that's been gone to put up barricades, to corral us is just shocking, and it's a breach of our right to protest.

"We're not being permitted to do this adequately by being forced behind barricades off the roads and off the bridges."

ShannonWatch regularly protest outside Shannon Airport.

"There have been protests at Shannon Airport against every US president that has visited since the year 2000 because they've been taking troops and weapons through the airport," Mr Lannon said.

Another protester said that Donald Trump should be arrested for his "countless crimes" while in Ireland.

Limerick-man Ray Walsh held a sign at the protest, which read 'I'm not being paid $5,000 to be here'.

He explained: "Eric Trump yesterday [on RTÉ's Drivetime] was saying that people who protest are being paid.

"They told us the same lies in 1984 when Reagan visited here: Nobody was being paid.

"At the same time, Trump has offered $5,000 to people to vote for him."

Earlier this week, Mr Trump promised $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the November mid-term elections.

One protester said he was there in an "anti-war and anti-imperialist capacity" but was also appalled by the "egregious welcome that the Irish Government have rolled out for a convicted felon Donald Trump."

In 2024, a New York jury found Mr Trump guilty of 34 felony counts.

Sarah Ferrigan said she was "disgusted" that Donald Trump had been welcomed to Ireland.

"If it's a private visit, why are we forking out so that he can go and hand out trophies to his private golf course just for the fun? It's ridiculous," she said.

"Currently there's an ongoing genocide in Gaza for start. The ICJ has a disposable reason to investigate a genocide. He has launched an illegal attack on Iran, illegal blockade on Cuba.

"He has also given diplomatic cover and funding to Israel to continue there on slot in Lebanon", she said.