West Clare Councillor Rita McInerney (FF) was namechecked in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday by the Taoiseach when he mentioned the Doonbeg business woman to President Donald Trump.
Micheál Martin passed on a message to the US leader from the councillor in the Oval Office during the official celebrations in Washington DC to mark St Patrick’s Day. “My local councillor, Rita McInerney texted me last week to tell President Trump, to thank his family, for the way they have worked with the local community, and for the work they have done,” he said.
Cllr McInerney has revealed to The Clare Champion she contacted the Taoiseach in advance of his trip to the US for St Patrick’s Day to wish him the best for his visit and his meeting with President Trump. In that text, she also suggested to him to highlight the connection with Doonbeg as part of the visit, with the aim of reflecting the strong links between Ireland and the US.
“I said I had no doubt that he would do an excellent job in strengthening and celebrating the deep ties between Ireland and the US, a relationship that I, like An Taoiseach, am deeply passionate about. I made the suggestion to highlight the connection with Doonbeg as part of the visit to reflect the strong links between Ireland and the US.
“As a community, we have been working with the Trump organisation here in Doonbeg for over ten years now, and the family members engage with the local community on their visits to their property. Trump International Doonbeg is an important part of our business community and we have a mutually beneficial, reciprocal relationship.
“I said I know that An Taoiseach is aware the relationship with the US is of huge importance to us here in County Clare, especially with Shannon Airport and the many US multinationals in the Midwest.
“There is huge opportunities for Clare with off shore wind and energy security. Ireland is also a well educated country, the only English speaking member of the European Union and the gateway to Europe. Many of the multinationals here use Ireland as a base for not just Europe but also for the Middle East, Asia and Africa.”
Indeed, Doonbeg was the subject of two public conversations between An Taoiseach and both President Trump and Vice President Vance; both of which highlighted the positive impact the Trump owned golf resort located there has on the region.
At the Oval Office meeting, the President commended the planning department of Clare County Council – without naming the local authority – for processing the planning permission application for the expansion of his West Clare resort so efficiently, saying, “I got the approvals from Ireland so quickly. They were so professional…You gave me the approval in about four weeks”.
The President claimed he was told the process would take between five and seven years in the European Union.
Referencing Trump Doonbeg, Mr Martin praised the US President for investing in Ireland saying, “you have the distinction of being the only American president that has physically invest in Ireland through your Doonbeg.”
Mr Martin also spoke about how wonderful the resort is describing it as a “stunning landscape…even if you don’t play golf”.
He also praised him for having restored the golf resort property so well. President Trump for his part, added that if they meet again, they should meet at Doonbeg.
Earlier at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Vice President at his official residence, the Taoiseach invited Mr Vance to return to Ireland highlighting the exceptional golf courses, “one of which – in a remote and beautiful part of Ireland called Doonbeg…”
However, despite the praised heaped upon Doonbeg and county Clare during the visit for St Patrick’s Day, there will be concerns in the Irish Government because the US President continues to impose substantial tariffs on several countries.
In the course of the Oval Office meeting, he focused in on Ireland, describing it as “a beautiful island of five million people [which] has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasps.”
Sharon Dolan D’Arcy covers West Clare news. After completing a masters in journalism at University of Galway, Sharon worked as a court reporter at the Sligo Weekender. She was also editor of the Athenry News and Views.