Priest presents Trump’s eldest sons with Doonbeg painting

A priest who says he has saved a place in heaven for the Trump family has presented the US president’s eldest sons with a gift from his village.

Father Joe Haugh, the parish priest in Doonbeg where Mr Trump’s golf resort is based, handed Eric and Donald Trump Jnr a framed photograph of Doonbeg Castle.

The photograph, often found in local gift shops and on postcards, shows the remaining fortifications of the castle, which was built in the 16th century, and overlooks the Doonbeg River which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Father Haugh, who previously said he had saved a space in heaven for Mr Trump, told his two sons that their entire family’s space in the afterlife is secure.

The gift was handed over in Igoe’s bar, during Eric and Donald Jnr’s pub crawl around Doonbeg, and was received happily by the pair who embraced and thanked the priest repeatedly, before Eric was reassured that Father Haugh’s previous statement still stood, and that the Trump family were getting into heaven.

Speaking to the Press Association, Father Haugh said he wanted to present the first family with a gift on behalf of the village to thank them for their contribution to the area.

“Well, the castle has been there for around 400 years, and it’s still standing, it’s a testament to the work and the strength of Clare,” he said.

“I wanted to give them a gift to thank them very much for all they do for the area.

“They provide around 300 jobs here, no one else is doing that for us.

“Students work there in the summer and are going back to university with thousands in their pocket.

“The vegetables they use, the meat, the fish for the restaurant, that all comes from local suppliers, the area needs the Trump hotel.”

Father Haugh has met members of the Trump family on a number of occasions, since Donald Trump Snr opened the luxury golf course and hotel in 2002, but says none of the family have attended mass.

“No no, I don’t ever see them at mass, but that’s OK, they do enough for us,” he said.

“Look at the crowds that came out to the streets and the pubs to welcome them to the village, they were so happy to see them and have them back in Clare.

“They’re very welcome here.”