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Trump branded `abhorrent´ amid protest at Shannon Airport over Ireland visit

Protesters at Shannon Airport have described US President Donald Trump as "abhorrent" as they voiced their opposition to the leader´s trip to Ireland.

Around 20 demonstrators gathered to protest against Mr Trump´s visit ahead of his expected departure on Sunday.

They held a range of signs, some reading "Dump Trump choose peace" and "Trump out, no oil wars".

On Saturday there was a large demonstration in Dublin where a huge crowd carrying placards and banners marched along O´Connell Street in opposition.

Smaller protests were held at Shannon Airport and in the Co Clare village of Doonbeg, close to Mr Trump´s golf course where he is attending the Irish Open.

At protests on Sunday, Orla Ni Eili, 72, said she was there to show that there are people in Ireland who "feel very strongly that the policies of the Trump regime are abhorrent".

She said that there are "terrible things happening in the world, that they are totally, not only complicit, but funding and orchestrating in Lebanon, in Gaza, in Cuba, for God´s sake, they´re now focused back on Cuba, in their own country against immigrants...".

"And also, we´re very disappointed to see Ireland not take a good stand on this," she added.

"Of course, we all understand trade relations, we all understand diplomatic relations, but this has been ridiculous."

She said: "We have been coming to Shannon for the last 20 years or so, once a month, but with Gaza and Palestine being in such a terrible state, we´ve been coming here weekly for the last couple of years just to highlight what´s happening at Shannon, and that using Shannon for flyovers and for stop-offs and with weapons and all that makes us complicit, and we really, really do not want to be complicit."

Frank Golden, also protesting at Shannon, said he is "against Trump and his support for this Israeli apartheid regime".

He said Mr Trump and his administration "have been involved in unilateral strikes on the Iranian people and again, like in Gaza, killing huge numbers of civilians".

He added: "I´m against that, so I´m against all of his international actions.

"They´re perpetrated for obscene reasons, and he needs to be stopped.

"We need a coalition of parties of the left and for a different set of international relationships to be put in place, and hopefully there will be a change in the American administration also with the upcoming elections, and he´ll be a lame duck president.