Nicola and Conor got married on the west coast of County Clare in autumn — a church ceremony at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Quilty, then a Trump International Doonbeg wedding reception on the edge of the Atlantic. Gale-force wind, a last-minute detour to the Kilkee cliffs, and one of the best sunsets I’ve had at a Wild Atlantic Way wedding. Here’s how the day ran.
The day at a glance
- Couple: Nicola & Conor
- Ceremony: Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Quilty, Co. Clare
- Reception: Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, Doonbeg, Co. Clare
- When: October
- Getting ready: Kilkee, Co. Clare
- Couple photo locations: Kilkee Cliff Walk, Doughmore Beach and dunes, the links course
- Photographer: David Duignan, David J Duignan Photography
- Video: Evan, Irish Eye Wedding Videos
- Style: documentary, natural, no posing
Where is Trump International Doonbeg?
Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, Doonbeg sits in Doonbeg, County Clare, right on the edge of the Atlantic on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. It’s about an hour and five minutes by road from Shannon Airport, roughly forty minutes from the Cliffs of Moher, and about three and a half hours from Dublin. The resort is best known for its links golf course, which is why a lot of the couples marrying there have American family flying in — if that’s your crowd, my guide to travelling to Ireland for a wedding is worth passing on to them.
As a Co. Clare wedding venue, the practical advantage is this: guests stay on site. Lodge suites and cottages mean nobody is driving anywhere afterwards, and nobody is scrambling for a taxi in west Clare at one in the morning. That takes a surprising amount of pressure off the timeline.
Morning in Kilkee
Nicola got ready in Kilkee, a seaside town about twenty-five minutes south of the church, overlooking Kilkee Bay. No big bridal party, no chaos — just a calm morning that ran on time. As a photographer I’ll take that every single day of the week, and on this particular day it mattered more than usual.
The ceremony at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Quilty
I got to Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Quilty just as guests were arriving, with a very relaxed Conor already waiting.
For any church wedding, the priest makes or breaks the hour. Nicola and Conor’s was a gem — funny, warm, and genuinely engaged with the room. He had the guests and the suppliers entertained the whole way through. Ceremonies like that are a joy to work at, and they photograph well, because people are actually reacting rather than sitting politely.
Photos on the Kilkee cliff walk
Kilkee means a lot to Nicola, so she wanted to go back there for photos along the cliff walk after the ceremony. It was touch and go whether we’d have time, but because the morning ran on schedule, we made it work — everyone into the cars and off to the cliffs.
The wind was somewhere near gale force. Hair, dress and veil got a beating and were completely impossible to control. That was half the fun. Clean shoes, messy hair.
Doughmore Beach and the dunes
From Kilkee we drove north to Doonbeg. Before going into the hotel we stopped at Doughmore Beach, the long strand right beside the resort, and found shelter in the dunes for a few more couple portraits. The dunes are the trick at Doonbeg — the beach itself is wide open, but drop down between the marram grass and the wind mostly disappears.
The reception at Doonbeg
By the time we arrived at the hotel the guests were well settled in and waiting. Family formals were done quickly before the meal, with real help from the Doonbeg staff, who were excellent all day.
Their reception was in the resort’s event marquee — the “signature pavilion” — which held their wedding comfortably. Worth knowing if you’re planning now: Clare County Council granted permission in February 2026 for a permanent ballroom to replace that marquee, with a larger capacity and a bridal suite. Check current arrangements directly with the venue.
Sunset on the links
During the meal we slipped out with Nicola and Conor for ten minutes as the sun was going down.
I always try to build this into the day when the venue faces west and there’s any hint of a sunset — which, being Ireland, is never guaranteed. It doesn’t always work out. When it does, you get a completely different set of photographs to anything else from the day, for the price of ten minutes away from the table.
The full set of Trump Doonbeg wedding photos from Nicola and Conor’s day is below, and there’s more coastal work in my wedding gallery.
Planning a Trump International Doonbeg wedding: what I’d tell you
A few honest notes from the day, if you’re planning your own:
- Wind is the main planning factor, not rain. Doonbeg is exposed Atlantic coast. Plan for hair that moves and a veil that has opinions, and you’ll enjoy the day far more than if you’re fighting it.
- The dunes are your shelter. If it’s blowing hard, that’s where we’ll go.
- Build in ten minutes at sunset. The resort faces west. It’s the single highest-value ten minutes in the whole day.
- Most couples marry in a local church. The venue lists five churches nearby, including Quilty. If you want a civil ceremony on site, check with the venue and the HSE registrar, since the room has to be approved.
- Guests staying on site changes the mood. No taxis, no drive home, so the evening runs longer and looser.
- Give the cliffs a slot, not a hope. We only got to Kilkee because the morning ran on time. Put it in the schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Trump International Doonbeg?
It’s in Doonbeg, County Clare, on Ireland’s west coast and on the Wild Atlantic Way. Shannon Airport is about an hour and five minutes away by road, and Dublin is roughly three and a half hours.
Can you get married at Trump International Doonbeg?
Yes, the resort hosts weddings. Most couples I’ve worked with there have had a church ceremony nearby — the venue lists five local churches — and then the reception at the resort. If you want the ceremony itself on site, confirm the arrangement directly with the venue and with the HSE Civil Registration Service, since a registrar has to approve the room.
Which church did Nicola and Conor use?
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Quilty, Co. Clare, about twenty-five minutes from Kilkee and a short drive from Doonbeg.
How many guests can the wedding venue at Doonbeg hold?
The signature pavilion has been used for weddings of around 250 guests. A permanent ballroom with a larger capacity was granted planning permission by Clare County Council in February 2026. Check the current figure with the venue.
When is the best time of year for a Doonbeg wedding?
Autumn is genuinely lovely there — low light, dramatic skies, and fewer golfers. It’s also windier. Summer gives you longer evenings. Neither guarantees you weather in west Clare, so pick the season you like the look of.
Where are the best photo spots at Trump International Doonbeg?
Doughmore Beach and the dunes, the links course itself (including the 18th tee), the marram grass at sunset, and the courtyard for shelter. Kilkee Cliff Walk is worth the drive if your timeline allows.
Do you work as a Doonbeg wedding photographer, and do you travel to County Clare?
Yes. I’m based near Dublin and photograph weddings all over Ireland, including Clare, Kerry, Galway and Mayo. There is no travel fee anywhere in Ireland.
How can I see more of your work at coastal venues? Have a read back through the blog for other real weddings around Ireland, and get in touch with your date.
Thank you
Thanks so much to Nicola and Conor for choosing me as their wedding photographer — an absolute pleasure to work with such a nice couple. Thanks also to Evan from Irish Eye Wedding Videos for the company through the day; I work with Evan often and his work is superb. (Check this link resolves before publishing — the old one was http and may be dead.) And finally, thanks to the staff at Doonbeg for their help and hospitality.
Looking for a Doonbeg wedding photographer?
If you’re planning a wedding at Trump International Doonbeg, or any Wild Atlantic Way wedding along that coast, get in touch and I’ll let you know if your date is free. You can see how I work on my wedding photography page, or if you’re planning something smaller, have a look at eloping in Ireland and destination weddings.
