Donald Trump halts golf to meet local kids: 'He said we could come through the electric fence'
US president Donald Trump finished his sojourn to Ireland with a round of golf and met a group of local schoolchildren — on the 9th green. Mr Trump and his wife Melania yesterday left Ireland following a three-day visit.
They flew out from Shannon Airport in Air Force One shortly before 3.30pm, an hour behind schedule.
The children from Clohanes National School in Doonbeg came face-to-face with the US president during his round of golf in Co Clare. Mr Trump was playing the full 18 holes at Trump International at Doonbeg ahead of his return to the US, when he stopped to speak to the pupils and teachers.
The school, which has 27 pupils, is based a mile from Mr Trump’s golf club resort. When the principal Aideen O’Mahoney heard the president was playing the full 18 holes, she decided to take the pupils to the 9th green and chance a meeting.
Standing nearby, the pupils caught Mr Trump’s attention by waving American flags and were invited by the Secret Service to go and meet him. Patrick Honan said he was “speechless” after meeting the president.
“He came over and shook our hands when the guards said we could come through the electric fence,” the seven-year-old said.
The electric fence was keeping us away, and then he came over in the buggy.
Lucy Shanahan, ,13 said the president was not as tall as she thought he would be, but was still very nice. “He was asking if there was going to be any future presidents there and did we like golf,” she said. “It was good to meet him, but it was a bit overwhelming.”
Her sister Abbi, 16, said: “I debated whether to even get up early to go to the school today. I was going to lie on for another half-hour.”
Damian McInerney, 12, said his morning had started like any “normal day going to school, and then, the next second [the teacher] said we were going to see Trump”.
“We shook his hand, it was great. I’m not a big fan of him, but I was still very excited to see the president of America.”
Self-confessed Trump fan Ciara Moloney, 12, said meeting the US president “was just spectacular”. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, just amazing,” she said.
After a few pictures, and an impromptu song from the children, they watched the president continue his round of golf — but when asked about the president’s skills, the Doonbeg children were harsh critics.
Abbi Shanahan said: “I don’t know about his golfing, one of his shots went down into the dunes anyway, down beside the beach.” Ms O’Mahoney said it has been a “very exciting” morning for pupils and staff.
“We kind of got wind that the president would be playing all 18 holes,” she said. “The ninth hole is just adjacent to my parent’s land — I’m local here. We decided to take the children to the hillside near the ninth green.”
Ms O’Mahoney said the small two-teacher school is actually in the restricted security area around the Doonbeg hotel, so the children had to get passes to attend school this week.
Her nephew Sean Conway, 19, was the other star of the show, when he got to caddy for Mr Trump. A rising talent for the U20 Clare hurling team, he had no time to describe his experience as he dashed off for the Banner’s challenge match against Offaly.
