WATCH: ‘We won't have anything bad to say' - Doonbeg locals on Trump's return

Editorial Doonbeg residents give their views on Trump's return, the resort and Irish Open Sign up to our Ireland Live newsletter Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Ireland Live within your account. Next week, the west Clare village of Doonbeg will be in the international spotlight as US President Donald Trump returns to Ireland and travels west to the golf resort that bears his name. His visit comes as the Amgen Irish Open 2026 takes place at Trump International Golf Links from Thursday, September 10 to Sunday, September 13. Rory McIlroy will defend his title, with Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton also among the leading names in the field. President Trump is expected to arrive in Ireland on Saturday, September 12, with meetings planned in Dublin before he travels to Doonbeg. The Government has not officially confirmed the full itinerary, but US President Trump is expected to meet President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin separately in the Phoenix Park. With Donald Trump's return to Ireland approaching, the Limerick Leader travelled to the village of Doonbeg recently to find out what locals think about President Trump's return. Trying to get people to appear on camera and speak proved difficult, with many locals declining to feature. Those who did speak took a largely pragmatic point of view. Read More Speaking with local man Pat O'Brien from Doonbeg and Bridget Geary from nearby Kilkee, the pair offered a largely positive view of Trump's presence in the area, pointing to the employment provided by the resort. Pat said there would be little criticism of Trump locally because of the jobs the resort provides. 'We won't have anything bad to say in this village about him anyway, because he creates a lot of employment here.' Bridget Geary from nearby Kilkee also sees the benefits for the village, pointing to the work carried out locally ahead of the Irish Open. 'It is a win-win for the village this year because all the houses are after getting done, our roads are after getting done, so it's a win-win.' Jenny Drysdale, chairperson of the Doonbeg Tidy Towns Committee, said the international attention surrounding the Irish Open was something the village could embrace. Jenny has lived in Doonbeg for five years, while her parents moved to the area around 30 years ago. 'Well, it's certainly going to bring the eyes of the world on Doonbeg and I can't knock that because we're ready for it and we want to showcase what Doonbeg is all about, so we're prepared for it,' she said. For Jenny, one of the biggest benefits of the resort is the employment it provides locally. 'It's been a tremendous place for people to work. It's got 300 employees there. Now, that is 300 employees that are living in Doonbeg and around the neighbourhood, and if we didn't have the hotel, they would be going to other places to seek employment.' Bridget Geary said the benefits of the resort do not stop at the golf course and hotel, with local businesses also feeling the impact. 'You often see vans here from Trump's bringing Americans and tourists down to the pubs and they'll drop and pick them up hours later, so the pubs are benefiting too.' But there are pressures in the village too. Housing is becoming increasingly difficult to find, particularly for younger people hoping to rent or buy locally. Mr O'Brien said house prices had risen dramatically in recent years, while Ms Geary pointed to the growing cost of renting. 'The amount of people looking for houses is unreal. You are looking at €1,500, maybe €1,700 for rent.' She said the shortage was particularly difficult for younger people trying to get established in the area. 'You see on Facebook people screaming for houses and even rooms to rent. They are not there. 'There are a lot of holiday homes free, lying vacant. If you were a young couple starting off, you'd do well to find a house. We have two girls at home; they'd love to be renting somewhere, but they can't afford it.' When asked about the protests that have taken place at the resort, the locals offered a range of views. Jenny Drysdale said: 'I am surprised you have seen a lot of protests at the Doonbeg Golf Course because I certainly haven't seen them, and I am here and you are not.' Mr O'Brien said he hoped the protests would not detract from the Irish Open or what it could bring to the area. 'I haven't much time for protesters now, to be honest about it. I hope they just keep it low-key now and don't ruin the event for everyone.' Ms Geary said the course had already been affected by protests. 'Protests have already started. There was weed killer put on one of the main greens above, so that is destroyed. They are trying to fix that now before the Open.' For Michael Neylon, from Doonbeg, protests were simply an inevitable part of a visit that has attracted so much attention. 'You will always have protests. You will never prevent that.' For him, the priority was making sure there was enough security to keep any disruption under control. That security presence, however, is itself likely to be one of the most noticeable changes for people living in and around Doonbeg. Michael said Trump's decision to come to the village had already brought a heightened security presence, with further disruption expected during the visit. 'There is a lot of security around now and I believe the roads in and out of the village will be closed down for a couple of days and it will inconvenience people, but it's a great event for Doonbeg and West Clare.' Read More For all the attention now fixed on Trump, protests and the Irish Open, life in west Clare does not stop at the gates of the golf course. Beyond the presidential visit and the spectacle of the tournament, locals are still dealing with the more familiar pressures of everyday life. The conversation then turned to the wider impact of Trump's policies, including the conflict involving Iran and the resulting fuel crisis. For Mr O'Brien, the cost of fuel is already being felt close to home. His daughter's boyfriend is doing an apprenticeship in Galway and drives from Kilkee every day. 'The majority of his wages are going on diesel.' Ms Geary said rising prices were forcing people to think more carefully about how often they use their cars. 'It's a conscious thing now. Do you really need to use your car?' Michael said the impact stretched across west Clare, affecting commuters travelling to Shannon and Limerick as well as farmers running machinery. 'It would be great if the Strait of Hormuz was open and we had oil coming through because everybody is suffering,' he said. 'The farmer running his equipment, that is costly and that will have a knock-on effect on the cost of living going forward in the winter.' We also asked how locals reconcile the economic benefits the resort brings to Doonbeg with concerns about the wider impact of Trump's policies on Ireland. For Michael, there is no straightforward answer. 'Whatever he says is up and down. He says one thing one day and then something happens and it changes. Look at what he is doing with Canada now, there are big, big problems out there.' He said he hoped things would settle down and that countries could sit down and talk. 'I think things will have to settle down. People have to get around the table. We don't want countries at each other's throats.' At the same time, he said there was no denying the importance of the resort to the area. 'When we heard this first, it is great for the area, but there is a little bit of controversy around.' For Michael, the hope is that the controversy does not overshadow what the event can bring to Doonbeg and west Clare. For the locals we spoke to, the reaction to Trump's return is ultimately a pragmatic one. While they acknowledge the controversy surrounding the US President and the protests his visit is likely to attract, there is also a strong recognition of what the resort has brought to Doonbeg through employment, tourism and business for the wider community. History has arrived at its doorstep wearing a red tie, but the village has lived under this spotlight since Trump took ownership in 2014, it is nothing new. Trump may bring the attention of the world, the protesters, the security detail and all the arguments that follow in his wake, but none of that changes the simpler realities of life here - the jobs, the businesses, the houses, the roads and the people who call this place home. In the end, Doonbeg cannot control the man who owns its golf course, or the politics that surround him. It can only decide what it makes of the opportunity that has landed, rather improbably, in its midst. And perhaps that is the most Irish response of all, to look at the spectacle, raise an eyebrow, and then get on with business.