Protests For Trump Doonbeg Visit

0:00But we are turning to Dumbag now and the planned visit of US President Donald Trump to Dumbag this week and expected to bring both major international attention and large-scale protests, the great Irish on welcome demonstrations expected to involve several activist groups who concerns about the potential impact on local residents' businesses and the tournament and one person who's raised concerns about that impact as Geraldine Gregan, who's with the Finnegal activist, who's involved in lots of different things. She recently put pen to paper or a finger to keyboard to write to the Irish Times in response to an article that they had published on this and Geraldine joins me. Good morning to you. Good morning Ellen. Thanks very much. Thank you. I'm glad to have you in and this is on foot of a piece written by Justin McCarty and your letter argued that the peace lacked empathy for the people of Dumbag. So what specifically do you believe maybe she got wrong or in terms of the impact these

1:01protests could have on the local community? Right, I'm a regular reader of just in McCarty's articles on the Irish Times. I'm not just saying it but I find it to be an excellent columnist. Absolutely, I have no problem there but I was shocked last Friday when heading to Dumbag. I'll be there with my placard to grease Trump and I read it on and her idea of a placard right written was buzz off, you're not our type. No, that really got my ear open in the sense, buzz off, you're not my type. It's not nice. It's more or less nearly incitement to hatred. And then she went on to say that would you go with that there? In incitement to hatred or not just expressing her? We would often talk to her. Okay, she could have chosen her language more carefully. Absolutely. And like you're not our type, like who she representing, she representing herself, her family or a group that you belong to or did she feel all the way around to talk like that.

2:05Maybe not all of her. Maybe she was as a general sentiment. A general sentiment. Okay. And then she said her result of that idea was that she listened to a Waxpop where a fella, if a LLA from Dumbag, which was a bit of a derogatory language, had said that he would be welcoming President Trump. And a number of the other people in Dumbag said the same thing they were interviewed by RTE. So actually totally condemned them for the sense of community, there's the whole this event is a world class event with world class golfers. It is huge for the people that don't bake. There are smaller units. You know, I mean, just to say a number of weeks back, you were part of a Friday panel. And you and indeed your fellow panelist, Bernder Hanna and Michael Dunlund, were of the view that, you know, like it's great for the event to happen. And that I think it's fair to say, I'll generally talk a dim view of the protests. But you're talking about the Gulf tournament.

3:05I don't think anyone has an issue with that. And they're delighted to see that happening. It's just specifically some people have an issue with the visit of the US President himself. Okay, but the whole lot is being wrecked into one. I'll give you an instance, Ellen, of my feelings towards it. Coming in this morning, I was hurt and to see a banner plays a black character up, huge one, near Claire Castle saying, hope you all enjoy the Irish open in Dumbag. And I said, wonderful. And another time before all these nasty protesters started, I think Claire this week would be littered with business people putting up black cards saying, welcome to Claire. Hope you enjoy your stay. Hope you enjoy the Irish open. But can I ask you that you use the word nasty? I mean, why why why in your view are protests or protesters nasty when, you know, if if any protest, including, you know, I mentioned the great Arshon welcome,

4:07is peaceful, well organized and agreed with Gardy. What actually what actual harm can it cause to the community? I think I'll pick your words there. I don't think they're well organized. There's a mix of gather of people and they're there for a million, I don't know, different reasons. Like, buzz off, you're not our type. What did they ever got to those kind of words mean? And that's only one example. Maybe they may be they mean that they, you know, they they feel that, you know, Trump thinks solely about himself or that is about improving his lot in life rather than others. Maybe they look at American incursions in the Middle East and feel that maybe there's not enough empathy for their fellow man and these protesters to feel that they have and that he does and maybe that's what they mean by he's not their type. And maybe but I'll go back to what you said, I want you to quote me saying nasty. What I mean by nasty is these protesters are misdirecting their,

5:10you know, their their words and their marching and everything else. Don't make has nothing really to do with world affairs and it's affecting why it's nasty is these protesters affect people. It's more than the protest for some reason or other that have been picked up by media and social media and all the rest. Well, there have been picked up because it's in relation to the most powerful man in the world. I mean, that's obvious. Yes, but it's this he's coming to don't make actually because he owns a business there. These people are completely wiping out what it means to community life in clear in West layer in particular in a small community in West layer. What it means to Ireland and I I'll say this you we can dwell on Don't Bagg but a family member of mine had a ticket for for the Israeli Irish match in the Aviva. We've a wonderful star soccer player by the name of Troy.

6:11What's Paris? Paris, yeah. I wouldn't have been lovely just for young people to be able to see him play soccer in the Aviva stadium. I can the protest of one the case. Yeah, but the Israeli and the Israeli games are happening in Serbia and Hungary but they've had plenty of opportunities and we continue to have plenty of opportunities to see Troy Paris do is stuff at the Aviva. Yes, but it's gone for October. You know, the opportunity died. We're no longer participants in the Eurovision Song Contest because of protests and inverted comments. And we're not we're not the only ones. No, we were one of five countries who didn't participate this year. Is it doing any good? The negativity associated with all of this is not doing our country. But what's the good side of that? Gerald, are you kind of saying you should never put your head above the parapet to oppose any or to highlight any what you perceive as an injustice or issue? I'm not saying. Because it might have a negative impact so you should people who disagree with what Israel is doing

7:13or disagree with Donald Trump should just do nothing. I'm not saying people are entitled to an opinion at all but an opinion that's directed was there seems to be a power unit out there at present that are swamping natural enjoyment. And I don't know why but it is there. There are a number of examples that I've listed to you. There's the soccer match that's cancelled in Dublin where no longer participants in the Eurovision. And let me finish with the saddest of all is the Don't Make situation that community of people, 300 people are fantastic. I can't imagine what the stress they are under to get the show on. Just quickly. It is a kind of separation we could spend a whole show talking about. I mean the soccer match against Israel. I mean that there are some who believe that even the fact that it's happening in those games

8:13will be happening in Hungary and Serbia is awful enough. And in the first place that really you know Russia was banned from competing in soccer, the Olympics and so on. And that Israel continues to be allowed to play. The atmosphere, the whole atmosphere around that game would have just been too awful to have it happen in Dublin. Isn't it? Isn't it? Both both right. But the protesters will feel rightly so. That Israel shouldn't be even competing. That for them to allow to be competing on the international stage in sports is completely against beyond the pale. How has this happened that a soccer match in Ireland cannot be enjoyed? An international soccer match? God, I've seen plenty of Ireland soccer matches in Ireland. The content couldn't be enjoyed. For the reasons. Anyway, look at that. As I say, we're good on a soccer-related rabbit hole on that. But Dumbeg, how do we, you know, like activists would argue that Donald Trump's policies are serious enough that yes, he has the right to come here as you, Michael,

9:15and Bernhardt said a few weeks ago, but they have to be put... The activists would say they have to be publicly challenged while he's in Ireland. So why shouldn't Dumbeg be a place where they do that? Like it is right that it's great that the Tournament is happening. He's entitled to visit. But equally, we have a democratic right to protest. And as much as Donald Trump is allowed to visit, they are allowed to protest the fact that he is visiting and, you know, pro-highlight the issues that they have with him and his policies. Well, you know, there was article written by Justin saying, like, it's all negative, okay? She made the point, Sash. This is a really an official state visit. She's saying that, look, this is just a visit, a connection to his golf resort in the art show. She's telling him to put something around words. I mean, how bad can you get? Did I say the protesters should pause off even... I did it on the street, you know, Alan. You caught me. It took me some courage to write that letter because, and it's up on Twitter.

10:18And I am amazed at the positive responses I've got. Absolutely amazed because I have got some negative responses. Which I'm sure you've expected. That are extremely nasty. And that is... Yeah. And that's the word we have. If people agree or disagree with your view on it, or you agree or disagree with someone's view on the talk of matches with Israel or what the US are doing or what Israel is doing, guys, people can disagree with that, but I think we want, would all agree that the way in which it is expressed has to have a certain nerve civility to us, that in name calling in in South Sudan, always be left out of this. At the very least, do you have the thing? Justin DeHool, ethos of things. It seems to be completely gone out of fashion to be pro-American. Like America is a... I wish to an ally of Irish people, of Ireland. You know, it's a good friend of a... Lots of us, everywhere I'd say, and everybody that assisted this Balkan's morning has some relative, so many extended family in America.

11:22Why are we suddenly so negative, you know, want to send a message so negative to America? Okay, there's a lot going on. But can two things be both true? Like, while it is true that Donald Trump can visit, it is also true that protesters should be allowed to protest. Can't it also be true to say that America's been, you know, has had, has been so many advantages and benefits to Ireland people, Irish people be it, as you say, emigrating there or how often have we spoken about foreign direct investment on this show? That's connected. A lot of that comes from there. That's true, but what is also equally true is that an in-notch-us-under-tunnel Trump, I mean, Joe Biden could be accused, this is well in terms of his support for what Benjamin Netanyahu and his role, June and Gaza, but America more generally, their policy in the Middle East and elsewhere has not been a good one. But both can be true. Okay, that's all the politics side of it. But why drag politics into what we're really good at in Ireland is, this is an entertainment, music, sport.

12:27I hear that, but maybe people feel if you allow, if you allow, if you allow, down from the visit and you just stand there, if you disagree and but you stand there, if Jeremy's folded and say nothing, that by your silence, you're almost complicit or you're advocating what he's doing. Yeah, but there's complicit on this silence, but this type of protest seems to be leading the way down a situation that's extremely nasty and creating a fear of speaking out in the other direction, which is what I'm trying to explain to you here. I was very slow at saying, will I want to put pen to paper and publicly challenge justine McCarty on her views. The other side seems to have, I call it negative thinking, has really got a foothold in this country. One of the points that, one of the points, Justin Argu, Geraldine, was that the protests could actually bring positive international attention to Ndumbag. I would imagine you disagree

13:31with that. Well, of course, you could say it does not seem as bad publicity, you know, in a sense, but maybe that's what maybe that's as a journalist journalist, she's been pointing, but I still found her railing up of the negative side of this world class event in a world class golf course, which world class players not healthy. Okay, and obviously she was just spewed, actually, that she was railing up any sort of negative aspect. She was pointing out what she sees in order to see is the reality of the situation. Yes, sometimes that section of the paper, I don't know if I just split in half and there are two sides given, maybe that's what I've been better. I will say, I'll do it for a guest column. Is this part of your application? I will say the other point, that kind of publicity can be easy for the participants, for the sports people, you know, they're putting an awkward situation like I was like,

14:36practically everywhere in the eastern Ireland, I was watching the Katie Taylor face on Saturday night and Shane Lowry was interviewed and she said how well, how much she was a group hour to go into the air to the Irish open next this weekend coming and I said, gosh, you don't want to be careful, you know, I'm really getting that feeling of why would he want to be careful? Exactly, because of the effect of this kind of negativity towards towards events at the present time, having well anything to do with say America or whatever, you know, I suspect a lot of that will not be on the doorstep of Shane Lowry or the golfers or anyone at the course within the lot of that is probably going to be kept well away from what happening. I wish we knew. We're almost at a time, I just want to ask you, Gerald, do you feel, you know, almost like the two adults in a room speaking to each other about a child or someone else is in the room, rather than speaking to them, is there a danger that those who are in

15:41favor, don't from his visit, like yourself and those who aren't, like the protesters, are using Dune Bag to make a wider political point without sufficiently considering what local residents actually want? Yeah, I think the feelings of the local residents, the work that had to go in to organising this event by a very small community hasn't been considered at all by those that are not in agreement with Donald Trump's policies, etc, etc. And that's a sad thing that's lacking, with, to say protesters. And I would ask them, see, we clear as it's a beautiful event for clear, it's a beautiful event for Ireland and it's an absolutely smashing event for a fantastic people. But you accept if, if, and it sounds like they will turn up to protest that they are, they are entitled to do so. Well, protesters protesting is allowed, you know, that's a lot of messages

16:42coming in, would you believe that, Geraldine? I'm sure you weren't expecting that. One here, I know it's 1800964 from a listener says the reason for the protest is Trump, not people in Dune Bag or America, you earn respect, you get it. Trump did earn it. No, he's the democratically elected president of, as they call it, the free world. But again, can't people accept that? He's democratically elected, but on the other hand, they can have an issue with the way in which he conducts himself personally with individuals, but also with people in general and also the way his administration is conducting itself around the world. Can they listen to his role, the report of his role for this coming weekend? It is as an owner of a wonderful golf, resort, ocean, wastlair, the skiving employment in wastlair. Joel Russell. Russell was interviewed at the General Manager. Yes, he's there, longtime manager. No problem. Says President Trump knows many

17:45of them by their first names. He's an excellent, seemingly an excellent employer. He's coming in that role and let that be respected. Let the fact that he's democratically elected and park the risk. It's infiltrating what is beautiful in the world, like sport, like music.