A REVILED US lawyer who died nearly four decades go might not be expected to have a central influence on one of the main Irish sporting events of the year, but there is a fair chance that the legacy of Roy Cohn is about to become a serious issue in both Belfast and Dublin.

The connection is obviously Donald J Trump, who among his many other commitments is the owner of the prominent golf course and leisure complex at Doonbeg in Co Clare where the Irish Open is to be held in September, and who is notorious for his dedication to Cohn’s malicious tactics.

Their astonishingly close relationship was comprehensively set out in the Oscar-nominated 2024 film The Apprentice which received widespread critical acclaim, even though Trump described it as a “defamatory, politically disgusting, hatchet job” and made concerted legal attempts to prevent its release.

Cohn, an entirely odious individual, preached three mendacious rules throughout his long and appalling career, which were always attack, never admit wrongdoing, and always claim victory, even if defeated.

It is a mantra which has been closely followed by Trump, who openly acknowledged the role of his mentor when he referred in his 1987 book The Art Of The Deal to “...all the hundreds of ‘respectable’ guys who made careers out of boasting about their uncompromising integrity but have absolutely no loyalty… what I liked most about Roy Cohn was that he would do just the opposite”.

The chilling consequences of this approach have been apparent in all Trump’s actions as US President, and the attitude he has displayed towards Pope Leo over recent days is a classic example of what has become known as Cohn’s “double down” strategy.

It is quite possible that Trump had not thought through the consequences when he first began attacking the pontiff in the familiar style of his rambling social media messages, saying Leo was “...WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy”.

The wave of criticism which followed from those who have traditionally been among the president’s strongest supporters might have been expected to produce a softening of the tone, but, instead, mindful of Cohn’s dictums, he went on a further offensive.

While his decision to place an AI-generated image on his Truth Social platform unmistakably presenting himself as a Jesus-like figure in a white robe, placing a glowing hand on the head of a sick man in a hospital bed, was genuinely shocking, Trump was unperturbed.

He was even prepared to falsely claim that the depiction, which he deleted, was somehow that of a working doctor, saying gratuitously “…and I do make people better. I make people a lot better”.

Trump has plainly been responsible for many other blatantly untrue assertions – according to the Washington Post, he averaged 21 per day during his first term of office alone – and they have usually involved much graver matters, in the Middle East, Iran and elsewhere.

However, the papal exchanges epitomised the background to a dilemma which will have increasingly direct implications for senior figures from both Leinster House and Stormont as the date of the Irish Open nears.

It might be imagined that Trump has more urgent priorities than a sporting tournament in Co Clare, but he specifically said last month that he is “going to try” to attend, and independent research has confirmed that he has had golfing engagements on 103 out of the 453 days since he returned to the White House.

Even if he stays away, his shadow will be all over the Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, his reputation will be in sharp focus, and his family members will be centre stage.

For what it is worth, I wrote in this column last month that on balance Micheál Martin just about had a responsibility to represent Ireland’s interests by meeting Trump during the US St Patrick’s Day gathering, and I praised the taoiseach’s grace under pressure.

The circumstances in Doonbeg will be completely different, with among other key factors Ireland holding the presidency of the EU Council, and it will be extremely difficult for Martin or any other of his cabinet colleagues, with the possible exception of sports minister Patrick O’Donovan, to justify accepting an invitation.

Unionist leaders much surely cringe when they review the coverage of their trip to Washington in March, and will face much greater pressure if they attempt to squeeze into pictures with any members of the Trump entourage in Co Clare.

The Irish Open will undoubtedly be a great sporting occasion, but there is no requirement on any politicians to turn up, and those who are offered a place in the VIP enclosure will have to reflect on where Trump’s devotion to Cohn has taken him so far, and what may happen between now and September.

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