Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris has revealed that President Donald Trump is considering visiting Ireland in the fall of either 2026 or 2027 to attend important sporting events.
Putting an end to all the speculations, the Tánaiste of Ireland has confirmed that Trump will plan his visit in accordance with the Irish Open in September 2026 in Doonbeg, or the Ryder Cup in September 2027 in Adare Manor.
Notably, Trump’s golf club is also located in Doonbeg.
Trump first paid a visit to Ireland from June 5 to 6, 2019, during his first term as president. He stayed at the Wild Atlantic Way and lodged at the Trump Doonbeg Golf Resort.
During the visit, Trump met Leo Varadkar, the then-Irish Prime Minister. The two maintained a close relationship.
In February 2026, current Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál Martin met Trump during his visit to Washington, D.C. Martin reportedly brought a custom $870 golf tee and marker set for the president.
Snails holding up ballroom at Trump’s golf course in Ireland https://t.co/X0YMbRYirK
📸 Damien Storan, REUTERS pic.twitter.com/pwNCLt7fBX
— Golfweek (@golfweek) February 26, 2026
Trump reportedly planned his visit after an Irish council gave the green signal to build a ballroom at his western Ireland golf resort. The resort had applied to build the ballroom in December 2025.
The ballroom area will be 1,240 square meters in size and is expected to host 320 guests.
The Irish golf resort opened in 2002. It rests on 400 acres of land, which includes 1.5 miles of dunes. The golf course is located by the side of the Doughmore Bay. It is a gorgeous 18-hole championship course.
However, environmentalists have been protesting the idea from the very beginning. They pointed out that the resort had already caused enough harm to the habitat of a rare species of snail found in the area.
Conservation specialists have expressed grave concern that another construction in the area will endanger the snails even further.
I know there’s a lot happening in the world, but I want to share a headline from Irish news.
•A rare, protected snail in Clare is legally blocking Trump from expanding his Doonbeg golf course, because its habitat is protected under environmental law.
I am firmly on the snails pic.twitter.com/ANivILwSfi
— welsh reefer vegan Ⓥ🇵🇸🏴🇾🇪🇿🇦🇮🇪 (@AnnamarieClear1) January 12, 2026
The Irish council’s approval comes with some restrictions. Clare County Council planners have presented 14 strict rules before Trump and his family, aiming strictly at the protection of the Vertigo angustior snail family at all costs.
The president’s visit to Ireland has sparked both positive and negative reactions. It added to the ongoing debate surrounding the president’s business ventures and supervision from environmentalists.
The 79-year-old has also been accused of failing to separate his presidential responsibilities from his commitment to his businesses.
Critics have said that unlike previous U.S. presidents John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Trump has used state visits to promote his business. The other presidents, on the other hand, have focused on maintaining a diplomatic relationship with the country, critics state.
Meanwhile, Trump has been accused of focusing on a commercial agenda. The Irish government also fears backlash amid eagerness to maintain close ties with the U.S.
