Clare is getting ready to welcome the President of the United States, ahead of his arrival at Shannon Airport later today.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will hold bilateral talks with him at the airport – one of the only official engagements of the trip, with the Trumps to spend the majority of their time privately, in the Trump Doonbeg resort.
While he has been welcomed by some, the visit isn’t without its controversy, as Clare FM’s Sally-Ann Barrett reports:
Donald Trump and his family have been attending D Day commemorations in the UK this morning where Melania and Ivanka Trump have sported hats from Irish designer Philip Treacy.
Air Force One is due to touch down in Shannon Airport before 5 o’clock this evening, marking Donald Trump’s first visit to Ireland since being elected President of the United States.
From there he’ll travel to the Trump Doonbeg resort.
These tourists visiting Doonbeg today think the visit is a positive one:
Security is tight in Clare, with a €10 million operation rolled out which includes over 2,000 personnel on the ground.
1,500 Gardaí will be joined by 500 personnel from the likes of the Armed Support Units, Water Units and Roads Policing.
Around 8,500 meals per day will be handed out to security staff and 40,000 bottles of water.
Traffic restrictions are in place in Doonbeg, where the Trumps will spend the majority of their time in Ireland, but Chairman of the Doonbeg Development Association John Flanagan says for residents, it’s working well:
Mr. Trump tweeted this morning that protests against his visit to the UK this week were “organised flops.”
A number of protests are taking place here over the next few days to coincide with his visit.
Later today opponents of the visit will demonstrate at Shannon Airport while tomorrow, a Clare Woman is bringing the notorious Trump baby blimp to the protest in Dublin.
Founder of Uplift.ie Kilmurry McMahon’s Siobháin O’ Donoghue says when it comes to Donald Trump, people need to separate the man from the employer.
