CLARE’S first citizen, Councillor Michael Begley said that greeting President Trump is the right thing to do for the count
Justa few hours before he was due to welcome Trump at Shannon Airport, he said that the visit of Trump is good for Clare. “I do think it’s good for the county. They have a very substantial project in Doonbeg, employing a couple of hundred people, probably one of the biggest employers in West Clare. I think that it’s something that is good for the county. His visit here, from a tourist view, there will be more people who want to see Doonbeg and what it’s all about. I can’t see it being anything other than good for the county.”
Of course President Trump is very unpopular in this country, many are taking to the streets to protest his visit and few of those people would agree that the Donald should get a céad míle fáilte.
However Councillor Begley is confident that he is taking the right course of action. “I’m the first citizen of the county, I’m here to represent the people of Clare and Clare County Council and I’m going to do that in a positive way, welcoming President Trump who is the first citizen elected by the people of America. He is the leader of a very powerful nation. Let others have their agenda and do whatever they want to do, but I’m going to do what I think is right for the county, and I think it’s right to welcome him here to Co Clare.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.