US billionaire Donald Trump returned to Ireland last night for a third visit Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Co Clare.
At 8.00pm last night, the business magnate arrived in Shannon on his private €75m luxury Boeing 757 jet.
Twenty minutes later he was whisked away to Doonbeg in a 4×4 vehicle accompanied by a minibus from his west Clare property. It wasn’t clear how long he would spend in Ireland.
The TV personality, author and keen golfer paid almost €9m for the Doonbeg property and promised to spend three times that again to further enhance the facility.
When Mr Trump made his first visit to Ireland after purchasing the property last year he was met at Shannon Airport by musicians, airport bosses, local dignitaries and Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
A spokesman for Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg confirmed last night: “We were expecting Mr Trump to visit but we’re not sure how long he will stay. He has been in Scotland in recent days and decided to pay us a visit and have a look around.”
On Monday, Mr Trump formally opened his Turnberry Clubhouse in Scotland following a multimillion pound upgrade. The Trump Organisation funded the refurbishment and its opening is the first phase of a two year extensive upgrade to the site.
Mr Trump also predicted that the Scottish Open would be staged at his other Scottish golf club in Aberdeenshire where work continues amid a wind farm legal challenge.
Earlier this year, Mr Trump warned Taoiseach Enda Kenny against selling the State’s shareholding in Aer Lingus, claiming it would damage the country’s tourism industry and links to foreign direct investment.
In a letter to the Taoiseach, Mr Trump said Aer Lingus “should not be given away to the highest bidder”.