Donald Trump's flood defence proposal for Doonbeg is itself getting washed away in the Presidential debate. But it's no joke. We need it.
Serious cap on for a moment. Time of the month for Doc to rant!
I bumped to Brian Shaw from Doonbeg at the Irish Open last week and congratulated him on the ribbon being cut at the new layout. The investment in Donald Trump's Doonbeg has been immense, the work done trojan, the product exemplary and the employment created much need in the area. It's 90 minutes from my house, one of my favourite courses and Shawsie who runs the golf is one of the greatest characters in the Irish game.
But as I walked away after a chat with Brian, the first thought that came into my head was worry. Worry about Mother Nature, the havoc she is wreaking on our coastal gems and what she's planning next. Maybe I'm watching too much Game Of Thrones, but the phrase "Winter Is Coming" frightens me more and more.
The thing is this, Doonbeg have a plan to defend against Mother Nature that everyone seems to think is a joke. A wall.
Unfortunately Donald Trump is already famous for wanting another wall, in Mexico, so of course the Irish media have made it the butt of every joke. 'Trump's wall to keep the Mexicans out and the one around Doonbeg to keep the golfers in ha ha ha'. 'Donald says climate change is rubbish, yet wants a wall around Doonbeg to protect against......climate change,' ha ha ha.
The other thing is, its not a joke. It's not funny if you live in a place that gets pummelled by weather. Ask the people of the Philippines, Haiti, New Orleans, New York and many other places including us here in Ireland.
Now I know nothing about Mexico but I sure as hell know a thing or two about Mother Nature after seeing what the winds, rain and waves have done to Ireland, and in particular coastal regions, these past few years. We have all suffered the harsh winters, got caught up in the flooding and watched the dunes, the farms, the villages, the links golf courses and much more get washed away. Not just Doonbeg, but up and down the entire Irish Coast.
It shouldn't matter a damn whether it's global warming or not that's causing this problem, the fact is it needs solving. I've seen Ballyliffin manager John Farren on the TV news trying desperately to convince Government agencies to put their politics aside and agree on flood defences for his area. But as yet they have done nothing to help except promise, play those politics and pray for Summer so everyone will forget about it again for a while.
Back in Doonbeg, you have a man willing to design and erect a flood defence system, and what is more important here, pay for it all himself. Of course you can argue that his motivation is to protect his assets, but his assets are OUR assets; rural employment, the infrastructure, the service industries, the tourism.
For God' sakes why not let him try? The Government could then have a test case to study, learn how successfully it works, or not, figure out truly what it costs, and get the contact details of the guy who builds it.
If it doesn't work, take it down and send it to Mexico.
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Doonbeg. Winter Is Coming and nobody will let Donald defend it. |
But as I walked away after a chat with Brian, the first thought that came into my head was worry. Worry about Mother Nature, the havoc she is wreaking on our coastal gems and what she's planning next. Maybe I'm watching too much Game Of Thrones, but the phrase "Winter Is Coming" frightens me more and more.
The thing is this, Doonbeg have a plan to defend against Mother Nature that everyone seems to think is a joke. A wall.
Unfortunately Donald Trump is already famous for wanting another wall, in Mexico, so of course the Irish media have made it the butt of every joke. 'Trump's wall to keep the Mexicans out and the one around Doonbeg to keep the golfers in ha ha ha'. 'Donald says climate change is rubbish, yet wants a wall around Doonbeg to protect against......climate change,' ha ha ha.
The other thing is, its not a joke. It's not funny if you live in a place that gets pummelled by weather. Ask the people of the Philippines, Haiti, New Orleans, New York and many other places including us here in Ireland.
Now I know nothing about Mexico but I sure as hell know a thing or two about Mother Nature after seeing what the winds, rain and waves have done to Ireland, and in particular coastal regions, these past few years. We have all suffered the harsh winters, got caught up in the flooding and watched the dunes, the farms, the villages, the links golf courses and much more get washed away. Not just Doonbeg, but up and down the entire Irish Coast.
It shouldn't matter a damn whether it's global warming or not that's causing this problem, the fact is it needs solving. I've seen Ballyliffin manager John Farren on the TV news trying desperately to convince Government agencies to put their politics aside and agree on flood defences for his area. But as yet they have done nothing to help except promise, play those politics and pray for Summer so everyone will forget about it again for a while.
Back in Doonbeg, you have a man willing to design and erect a flood defence system, and what is more important here, pay for it all himself. Of course you can argue that his motivation is to protect his assets, but his assets are OUR assets; rural employment, the infrastructure, the service industries, the tourism.
For God' sakes why not let him try? The Government could then have a test case to study, learn how successfully it works, or not, figure out truly what it costs, and get the contact details of the guy who builds it.
If it doesn't work, take it down and send it to Mexico.
Join the GolfCentralDaily community on Facebook Here and on Twitter Here. Follow @golfcentraldoc
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