Talk about failing to shout “fore”.

A descendant of the Ulster Scots, and beloved by more than the odd DUP man, Donald Trump turns out to be a keen Irish nationalist.

Within a few short hours of arriving in Dublin, the US president had driven his ball into a figurative gathering of unionists, conservatives and British prime minister Andy Burnham – with his comments about the desirability of Irish reunification.

As the startled crowd scattered, Trump’s golfing partner Micheál Martin was probably also wondering what was going on.

After all, the Taoiseach says he is driven “bonkers” by talk of a referendum and here was the member’s guest tearing up the course etiquette and leaving divots in his wake.

Having met President of Ireland Catherine Connolly before uttering his apparently new position, it had been pondered in some circles that the idea might have somehow been inserted in Trump’s golf bag while he was being entertained in the Áras.

Not so, say sources. It was all his own idea.

Just in case it was a wayward slice of a shot, Trump was given a second chance on Sunday to perhaps modify his swing. But no, according to the not-so-orange man, removing the Border would be one of the “naturals of all time”.

Just as everyone was gathering themselves, another ball was blasted down the fairway. The well-known teetotaller that he is, Trump nonetheless has had enough of his own tariff on Irish whiskey.

The 10 per cent rate applied south of the Border is to be eliminated – to match the zero per cent rate enjoyed by Irish distillers in the North.

Now that’s a start on the whole reunification thing.

Speaking of which, First Minister Michelle O’Neill will be joining her Scottish and Welsh counterparts today to sign a “landmark agreement” aimed at putting pressure on Downing Street to hold referendums on independence.

O’Neill, joined by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, is in Cardiff where she is meeting SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.

They’ll be hoping Trump’s weekend intervention draws plenty of attention. Needless to say, Stormont Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP will not be in attendance. She claims O’Neill has not sought permission to travel or sign anything in her capacity as First Minister.

Back to the whiskey.

While the Tánaiste was quick to welcome the removal of tariffs on whiskey as a development of “economic significance” ahead of his budget, it remains unclear whether Trump might yet help him out on the price of a litre of diesel.

Trump’s assault on Iran, of course, has helped drive the cost of a barrel of the black stuff to over $100. The weekend brought more bad news on that front.

Trump offered little – beyond claiming the guns would fall silent once the US midterms are done and dusted. Instead, he called on Ukraine to stop its attacks against oil refineries in Russia, claiming those attacks were, in fact, driving up the price of diesel – not US attacks on oil-rich Iran and various targets in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump show was all a little dizzying. He’ll be hoping Irish America was tuning in.

Speaking of tuning in, no doubt the nation will be gearing up to catch the latest instalment of Dáil Éireann.

Yes, Leaders’ Questions and Taoiseach’s Questions are on the schedule for Wednesday as the deputies return from their constituencies.

Of course, there was a little reorientation day recently – when TDs were called back to extend the excise cuts on fuel.

But they are back proper this week, well rested and ready to do battle once more.

Those excise reductions will be front and centre over the coming weeks – with the Opposition parties poised to again hammer home their concerns on the cost of living.

At the same time the aforementioned Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, will be going about designing a budget for those famous early risers among us.

There were a number of think-ins last week – with the Greens calling for a €2.5 billion fund for solar panels and the Aontú faithful being told the party is targeting 12 seats in the next general election.

What would Trump, now very much a student of Irish history, make of such policies?

The solar panels would be likely to get the big thumbs down – but you’d imagine Aontú’s traditional republicanism could certainly pique his interest.

What strange times we enjoy.