The Government is preparing security and protocol arrangements for US President Donald Trump to meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin and President Catherine Connolly in Dublin before he travels to his Doonbeg hotel by helicopter, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
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Mail → prepare → Sunday
A secret internal briefing - seen by the MoS - details the infrastructure the Coalition is putting in place for Trump's visit to Dublin, before he travels to Co. Clare for the conclusion of the Irish Open golf tournament on Sunday, September 13, which is being hosted by his Doonbeg resort.
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which → see → resort
Earlier this month, the MoS revealed the US President will present the trophy to the tournament winner.
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President → reveal → winner
And Government protocol officers have been liaising with the US counterparts for a frantic few days of high-level events in Dublin before the tournament's climax.
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officers → liaise → climax
According to the security briefing, it is expected Trump will touch down in Dublin on Friday, September 11 - the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US.
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Trump → accord → US
He is scheduled to turn the sod on the new US Embassy complex on the site of the old Jury's Hotel in Ballsbridge the following day - although this is understood to be a matter still being finalised.
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this → schedule → Ballsbridge
According to the security briefing, it is expected Trump will touch down in Dublin on Friday, September 11
He is scheduled to turn the sod on the new US Embassy complex on the site of the old Jury's Hotel in Ballsbridge on Saturday 12
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He → accord → Saturday
In a recent interview with the MoS, US Ambassador Ed Walsh said he expected the President to accede to his request to attend the ceremony.
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President → say → ceremony
Trump and Mr Walsh, who are close friends, are also real estate tycoons and understand the symbolism of the event.
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who → understand → event
Afterwards, it is planned the US president will meet with the Taoiseach in Dublin.
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president → plan → Dublin
A separate meeting with President Catherine Connolly is also included in the schedule.
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meeting → include → schedule
A senior Government source involved in the organisation of the US president's visit told the MoS: 'Since Trump is expected to stay at the US Ambassador's residence in the Phoenix Park, near the President's residence at nearby Áras an Uachtaráin, this could be logistically achievable.'
They somewhat mischievously added: 'How the two of them - Trump and Connolly - get on, considering their markedly opposing political outlooks, is their business.'
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get → involve → outlooks
'While Ms Connolly has been a vocal critic of US foreign policy, she did commit during the presidential election campaign to meet President Trump if it was required as part of her oficial duties.
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it → commit → duties
After the embassy event and meetings, Trump is set to travel from Dublin, most likely from the Phoenix Park, in his Marine One Sikorsky helicopter.
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Trump → set → helicopter
It is expected the US president will make a similar entrance, timed for the conclusion of the Irish Open, to the one he made when visiting Doonbeg in 2019, when Marine One touched down on the hotel grounds accompanied by two escort helicopter gunships.
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One → expect → gunships
It is expected the US president will make a similar entrance, timed for the conclusion of the Irish Open, to the one he made when visiting Doonbeg in 2019, via Marine One
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he → expect → One
The golf at DP World Tour events usually ends at 6pm or 7pm, depending on whether a play off is required to determine the winner.
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play → end → winner
Local sources said they hope Trump's arrival by helicopter will minimise security disruption for spectators and players.
However, sources involved in his 2019 visit warned security arrangements are more complicated now following a series of high-profile attempts to assassinate the US President.
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arrangements → say → President
Trump was grazed by the bullet fired by an assassin at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania two years ago.
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Trump → graze → Butler
Sources said the maintenance of a required exclusion zone around the remote, rural Co. Clare venue, coupled with the holding of a major international golf tournament, is presenting significant security difficulties.
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maintenance → say → difficulties
These are exacerbated by the additional complication of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which falls on the second day of the tournament.
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which → exacerbate → tournament
Almost a year ago, the MoS revealed Doonbeg Golf Resort had been selected as the venue for this year's Amgen Irish Open.
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Resort → reveal → Open
In January, this newspaper also received confirmation from US and Irish sources in that a concurrent visit would be held.
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visit → receive → sources
The Taoiseach formally invited Mr Trump to visit Ireland at the time of the golf tournament during his visit to Washington in March.
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Taoiseach → invite → March
When the MoS attended a private dinner with Trump at the Doonbeg resort in 2019, official consent to pass a US Secret Service 10-mile cordon had to be obtained.
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consent → attend → cordon
All official visitors were required to pass through airport-type scanners.
What Catherine Connolly really thinks of Donald Trump...
Before her election, Ms Connolly was no fan of Trump:
On the Middle East conflict March 2026
‘They are deliberate assaults on the international laws that have underpinned global peace for 80 years.
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that → require → years
We must name them as such, without euphemism and without equivocation.’
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We → name → equivocation
Questioned two weeks later at the White House St Patrick’s Day event about what ‘the Irish president’ had said, Trump replied, ‘Look, he’s lucky I exist, that’s all I can say.’
Presidential campaign August 2025
‘Have I a trust problem with America?
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I → question → America
I think everyone in the country has a trust problem with America.
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everyone → think → America
‘They have a president, Trump, who is volatile, unpredictable, acting like a bully, bringing in tariffs when it suits him.’
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it → have → him
We have imperial powers.
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We → have → powers
Presidential campaign (last Prime Time debate) October 2025
On meeting Trump: ‘If it’s just a meet and greet, then I will meet and greet.
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I → meet → Trump
If the discussion is genocide [in Gaza], that’s a completely different thing.’
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that → ’ → Gaza
Inside Donald Trump's itinerary for next week's Irish visit, what government insiders are already saying about the meeting with arch critic President Connolly and what she actually thinks of him
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she → say → him
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we → accept → article
