'The Art of the Deal' was part of Irish culture long before Trump
Deals continue to be made at the dwindling number of these great folk gatherings after middlemen intervene to bring both sides together and seal the transaction with a customary slapping of hands. Picture: Dan Linehan.
Tangling over the price of horses has been a feature of fairs in Ireland for centuries, with breeders traditionally seeking inflated sums and buyers playing tough by resisting their initial demands.
Deals continue to be made at the dwindling number of these great folk gatherings after middlemen intervene to bring both sides together and seal the transaction with a customary slapping of hands.
The art of the deal was part of their culture long before United States president Donald Trump gave it an elevated meaning, which has now taken on a new status.
Spancil Hill in Co Clare, just a one-hour-journey by car to the Trump Hotel in Doonbeg, has been hosting horse fairs for 400 years, and might now have lessons for those who will negotiate a looming trade war between the US and the EU.
That all began when Mr Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, which retaliated with tariffs on €26bn on US goods — including whiskey and Kentucky bourbon.
Trump responded with a threat of a 200% tariff on alcohol products from the EU, but negotiations are expected, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
America is the biggest market for Irish whiskey with exports of over €800m last year. A trade war has potentially devastating implications for the brewing and distilling sector which employs 10,000 people in 50 distilleries countrywide.
It would also impact the tourism, agriculture and hospitality sectors.
The Irish Whiskey Association, part of Ibec, said there is no winner in a trade war. The imposition of tariffs will impact on businesses and consumers. Jobs, investments, and businesses will be put at risk.
It recalled that the EU and the US introduced tariff-free trade in 1997 and saw the value of the sector increase exponentially in the years that followed — benefitting businesses and consumers alike.
“We call on them to continue that legacy and maintain the tariff-free environment for EU and US whiskey alike. We note that there is no tariff currently in place, and now is the time for dialogue.
“Our experience speaks to the benefits of a free and fair-trading relationship, and we will continue to advocate for the reciprocity we’ve enjoyed since 1997 to be reinstated.
Irish Whiskey is largely an international product with 90% of it exported. Since 1989, it has Geographical Indication status — a distinctive sign that its quality, reputation, or other characteristics relate to its geographical origin.
The director of the Irish Whiskey Association, Eoin Ó Catháin, said earlier this month that the success of the sector is due to the innovation, resilience, and hard work of producers — passionate distillers that are found in almost every county in Ireland.
“Last year, we celebrated 700 Years of Irish Whiskey Tradition: 700 years since the publication of the Red Book of Ossory, with its instructions for distilling aqua vitae — or uisce beatha — which, of course, we know today as whiskey,” he said.
The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland — which represents suppliers, pubs, restaurants, hotels, and independent off-licences — has also highlighted the significant financial and social contribution that its members make to the economy.
It employs 92,000 people countrywide and buys €1.1bn of Irish inputs.
Irish political reaction has also been swift with Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, saying Mr Trump’s threat to hit European alcohol products with a whopping 200% tariff is sending shockwaves through the Irish drinks industry.
“It is now highly plausible that Trump will target the agri-food industry, as was the case during his first term when he unveiled a 25% tariff on goods including Irish dairy products," she said.
“Farmers and producers across Ireland will be watching Trump with bated breath over the coming weeks, hoping that their livelihoods are not next on his hit list.
“The Irish Government must make the strongest possible case for the protection of our agricultural sector at EU Council and commission level as a matter of urgency,” she said.
The Sinn Féin spokesperson on foreign affairs and trade, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, also expressed alarm at the potential implications for Irish whiskey if US Government tariffs of 200% are introduced.
He said the Irish whiskey industry has gone from strength to strength across the world in recent years, including the US, where it has doubled its market share in the last decade.
“This is not only the major distillers but also several smaller craft distilleries. President Trump’s threat of 200% tariffs raises huge concern regarding those jobs, and I would be very concerned about the impact of this,” he said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he expects there would be discussions within the EU on the approach to the US threat of further tariffs and he would seek to protect Irish interests in those talks.
