Following a three-day state visit to the UK, Donald Trump is scheduled to touch down in Ireland this afternoon on his first visit to the country as US president. He will land at Shannon Airport, some 140 miles from the capital Dublin, and protesters will be ready to greet him at a “peace camp” outside the premises.
In Shannon, the president will hold a short meeting with Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, expected to last for 30 to 40 minutes. On the agenda will be bilateral relations between the two countries and, probably, Brexit.
Trump will avoid most of the demonstrations across Ireland, including one in Dublin tomorrow, which is expected to be the largest. Protests in other cities and towns are planned, including Cork, Galway, and Sligo, with more than 30 organizations set to participate. None are particularly near the place Trump will stay for most of his trip, one of the few places he’ll get a warm welcome in Ireland—Doonbeg in County Clare.
Trump owns a 400-acre golf resort in the village of around 260 people, making his business the largest employer in the area. Locals are erecting US flags ahead of his arrival, where he will be based during his time in Ireland. Over in Dublin, the 20-foot Trump baby blimp is set to make an appearance, having been deployed in London earlier this week.
The president will fly to France tomorrow to meet with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and attend D-Day commemorations. He will then return to Ireland, but won’t visit parliament or any other government site. Instead, Trump is expected to end his trip with a round of golf at Doonbeg.