Kingdom will welcome Pope Francis but puts Trump in purgatory

Councillors in Co Kerry have deferred an emergency motion on sending Donald Trump a note of congratulations and inviting him to visit the county, amid concern about the US president-elect's attitude to women.

The politicians did, however, unanimously approve a motion inviting Pope Francis to Co Kerry.

Cllr Thomas McEllistrim, of Fianna Fáil, caused surprise when he put down the motion on Mr Trump, a golf enthusiast, at the start of the Kerry County Council's Christmas meeting in Milltown.

“We have lovely golf courses,” the former TD noted.

Cllr Donal Grady, an Independent, said he had a problem with Mr Trump’s comments “about women” and his attitude in general. “We should not invite him. Full stop,” he said.

Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae, also an Independent, said former US president Bill Clinton, who visited Ballybunion to play golf in 2001, "was fond of women, too, and he was invited".

“We should invite him because he was elected president,” he added.

The matter was to go to a vote but with the meeting running late and a number of councillors lining up to speak for and against the proposal, chairman Michael O’Shea ruled that it be deferred to January.

Enthusiastic backing

Meanwhile, a motion by Cllr Bobby O'Connell, of Fine Gael, "to put in place proposals to invite Pope Francis to Kerry when he visits Ireland in 2018" got enthusiastic backing from members.

Pope John Paul II visited “a muddy field” in Galway in 1979 and Kerry, given its Christian history from St Brendan the Navigator to emancipator Daniel O’Connell, should make “a bit pitch” for the pontiff to visit, the councillor said.

Cllr Norma Foley, of Fianna Fáil, backed the proposal of her Fine Gael colleague, saying: “Whilst I have reservations about Donald Trump, I have absolutely no reservations about Pope Francis. We have to be proactive about it.”

The council is to make immediate contact with Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland Diarmuid Martin.

Mr O’Shea noted: “Between Donald Trump and the Pope, we are going to have our hands full.”