BBC News
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Enda McClafferty, Niall McCracken, Adam Mandeville, Ralph Hewitt
- Published
US President Donald Trump announced he will lift all tariffs on Irish whiskey at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland.
asserted
he → publish → Ireland
He made the announcement before handing over the winner's trophy at the Trump International golf resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare, to Irish Open winner Shane Lowry.
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He → make → Lowry
Whiskey distilled in the Republic of Ireland faces the standard 15% tariff which applies to EU goods entering the US, while whiskey made in Northern Ireland or elsewhere in the UK has no tariff.
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whiskey → distil → tariff
It comes after Trump doubled down on his support for a united Ireland and said joining Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was "one of the naturals of all time".
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joining → come → time
He spent day two of his visit to Ireland watching the final day of the Irish Open.
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He → spend → Open
On Saturday, Trump was in Dublin where he met with Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin and Irish President Catherine Connolly.
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he → meet → Connolly
Addressing the crowd before the trophy presentation, Trump said he had discussed whiskey tariffs with Martin and with golfer Lowry.
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he → address → Lowry
"Everybody's been bugging me," he said.
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he → bug → me
"They are saying would you do me a favour?
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you → say → favour
It's so unfair what's going on.
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what → go → ?
"Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey and I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey."
uncertain
I → take → whiskey
The presentation ceremony marked the end of Trump's two-day trip to Ireland before boarding Air Force One at Shannon Airport and departing for Washington.
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ceremony → mark → Washington
Assuming the Trump tariffs on Irish whiskey are removed it will end the advantage that some Northern Ireland distillers had over competitors in the Republic of Ireland.
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distillers → assume → Ireland
That is because producers north of the border were covered by the removal of tariffs on all UK-made whiskey which Trump announced in May.
uncertain
Trump → cover → May
All-island supply chains meant that some NI whiskey brands could not benefit from the earlier tariff cut.
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brands → mean → cut
Newer distilleries bottle whiskey produced by other companies while they wait for their own product to mature.
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product → bottle → companies
This service is dominated by the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, County Louth which produces whiskey under licence for brands across the island.
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which → dominate → island
It means the NI distilleries bottling that liquid have been classified as EU rather than UK producers.
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distilleries → mean → producers
Doubling down on united Ireland comments
On Saturday, Trump told reporters he would love to see a united Ireland while at a meeting with Micheál Martin.
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he → double → Martin
Speaking on Sunday at his Doonbeg golf resort, he said it would be natural to put Ireland and Northern Ireland "together".
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it → speak → Ireland
He spoke to reporters after watching Lowry tee off.
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Lowry → speak → reporters
He described what he said about a united Ireland as "a fairly routine comment".
"I've always loved the people of Ireland.
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I → describe → Ireland
It just seems to me you have Northern Ireland and Ireland," he said
"
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he → seem → Ireland
It seems that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together.
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one → seem → them
That's only my opinion, and by the way many people agree."
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people → agree → way
The president sidestepped a question about Scottish independence.
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president → sidestep → independence
"I won't talk about Scotland yet I will save that," he said.
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he → talk → that
Asked about Prime Minister Andy Burnham's remarks that there would be no poll on Irish unity until a majority in Northern Ireland were likely to vote in favour, Trump added: "Everybody says that and then things happen."
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things → ask → that
The taoiseach said the president's remarks did not come as a "surprise" to him.
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remarks → say → him
"He would make the point this is his view.
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this → make → point
He believes unity is the logical way for the island to be configured and organised," Martin said.
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Martin → believe → island
He added: "I think some of the reaction is an overreaction.
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some → add → reaction
He takes a different sort of perspective on things."
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He → take → things
Protests continue against Trump visit
More than 10,000 people marched through Dublin on Saturday to show their opposition to the US president.
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people → continue → president
Others protesting against the visit arrived in buses to Doonbeg on Sunday, with about 100 protesters present.
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protesters → protest → Sunday
A small crowd were moved from the president's hotel by Gardai (Irish police), Irish broadcaster RTÉ is reporting.
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RTÉ → move → Gardai
On Saturday evening, three women were arrested for trespassing on the golf links at Doonbeg and appeared at a special sitting of Ennis District Court.
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women → arrest → Court
Rev Steven Foster, a Methodist minister from Galway, attended the anti-Trump protest in Doonbeg.
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Foster → attend → Doonbeg
"I'm here because Trump is the exact opposite of everything I stand for as a follower of Jesus," he told BBC News NI.
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he → stand → NI
Foster added: "As a church leader, it's important for me to be visible, and the church needs to be visible in this regard."
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church → add → regard
…and 8 more, not listed.
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