{"id":502264,"date":"2026-02-27T04:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T04:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/502264\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T04:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T04:04:09","slug":"snails-slow-down-trump-ballroom-at-ireland-golf-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/502264\/","title":{"rendered":"Snails slow down Trump ballroom at Ireland golf course"},"content":{"rendered":"

The narrow-mouthed whorl snail, also known as the Vertigo angustior, is a near-threatened species almost invisible to the human eye. They\u2019re often found in undisturbed marshy grasslands and have \u201cteeth\u201d outgrowths to protect themselves from nearby predators. Oh, they also have Irish environmentalists to protect themselves from Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The U.S. President and his family are planning to build a 320-seat ballroom at the remote Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, Ireland, but have been drastically slowed down by conservationists worried about the \u201cin terminal decline\u201d narrow-mouthed whorl snails. The golf club and hotel applied to build the ballroom back in December, and it\u2019s finally been granted permission, as long as the submission comes with \u201ca plan for helping to conserve and monitor the snails before commencing any work.\u201d<\/p>\n

The aptly named Friends of the Irish Environment<\/a> (FIE) has been pushing for the \u201cmaintenance or improving\u201d of the rare snail\u2019s status, and it looks like their persistence has paid off. At least for the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cDonald Trump called me in 2014 when he bought the golf course, because he was concerned about a wind farm that might be seen from his new property,\u201d FIE director Tony Lowes told Newsweek<\/a>. \u201cWe were also concerned, but for failures in construction plans, not wind energy. While we refused his help, he told me then that he was a friend of the environment and would defend the snail. Hey, Donald\u2014remember that call?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eric Trump has claimed that this will be \u201cthe nicest ball\u00adroom in the country\u201d and \u201cthe best you\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d The team will have to move fast, though, as Trump International Doonbeg is set to host the Irish Open this September, and the plan calls for bulldozing the hotel\u2019s existing events building, adding new roads and parking, a partially-covered terrace, a bridal suite, multiple bars and \u201cchampagne and tea stations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump stayed at the hotel back in 2019 and even teed off at the course back in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is one of many times the Trumps have faced off against Irish snails. Back in 2016, Donald Trump attempted to build a two-mile Irish beach wall<\/a> for extra coastal protection at Doughmore beach. His team started construction without permission but was eventually rejected due to environmentalist and local opposition. We\u2019re betting that it won\u2019t be long before the next round of Donald Trump vs. narrow-mouthed whorl snails.<\/p>\n

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