President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland next weekend is expected to send tens of thousands of furious protesters onto the streets — but it’s a tongue-lashing from a dignitary actually hosting his visit that might leave him reeling.
Dublin politicians and activists expect seas of people to flood the city’s streets to protest the arrival of Trump, who is scheduled to meet Irish leaders in the nation’s capital before helicoptering to his Doonbeg golf resort in County Clare to watch the Irish Open.
“There will be very large protests against Donald Trump,” Paul Murphy, a People Before Profit-Solidarity member of the Irish parliament and a former member of the European Parliament, told Raw Story.
“He is arguably the most despised political figure worldwide amongst the Irish population. He encapsulates for people all that is wrong and scary and getting worse about the world.”
And Sara O’Rourke, convenor of the Irish Neutrality League and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement, said, “We’re not happy he’s coming.
“We wouldn’t invite Putin with a red carpet and we don’t think Trump should be invited to this meet and greet in this official state capacity.”
Street closures and airborne transfers between private properties mean America’s president can be effectively isolated from roiling anger among protesters.
But he will not be able to hide from one of the people scheduled to greet him, both Murphy and O’Rourke said.
Ireland’s President Catherine Connolly has long been outspoken against Trump, calling him a bully and criticizing America’s foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, where she accused him of enabling genocide in Gaza. And she’s promised not to hesitate to tell him that to his face.
On Trump’s last official visit to the nation in 2019, Connolly — who had yet to be elected as president — took part in protests against him.
And Trump apparently has little idea who she is.
“She was a left, independent member of parliament,” said O’Rourke. “ … Her colors have been pinned to the mast a long time ago.
“She was asked this question during her election campaign, would she meet him? And she said she would have to, … understanding she would need to meet and greet heads of state.
“ … I don’t have a crystal ball, but while our Taoiseach [Micheál Martin] is going to be, I can predict now, smiling and bowing … I don’t think President Connolly is going to do that. I think, if she says anything, it’ll be about peace and diplomacy. Those are very much part of the principles of her.”
Murphy agreed.
“I would be confident that she will make the majority of the Irish public’s position clear to Trump. It might be in more diplomatic language than will be heard on the streets, but I think it’ll be clear nonetheless.
“Of all the official people that Donald Trump will come to meet, she’s the one who will tell him the truth. That we support Palestine, we defend neutrality.”
The fact that Trump apparently doesn’t even know Connolly’s gender suggests he has little idea of what is to come at the meeting, both said.
“I wonder how well informed he is because, you know, as recently as last week, he referred to her as a he,” said O’Rourke.
And it wasn’t the first time.
Murphy added, “During the White House visit [with Martin on St. Patrick’s Day 2026], a journalist asked a question about her criticism of him, and he said something like, ‘he’s lucky I exist.’ That’s misgendering Catherine Connolly.
“Presumably, if he listens to his advisors — and, when you read this stuff, sometimes he’s not capable of listening to his advisors — presumably part of the briefing they will try to give him will explain, ‘Oh, this is the person who is very critical of you.’
“So who knows? Obviously there’s the potential for a clash there between Donald Trump and President Connolly, it’s definitely possible.”
Trump is set to touch down Saturday before making his way to Phoenix Park — the biggest public park in Europe that’s home to the official residence of the president of Ireland. The entire park, including a public zoo, will be shut down by security from Thursday.
The “No Welcome For Trump” protest will start at Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance and wind through the city center streets on Saturday afternoon. More protests are expected in County Clare, which is home to Trump’s golf club, and at Shannon Airport, which is used by America’s military.
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