For Irish tech start-ups, the decision to expand to the US has always been a no-brainer, to access both a large market and the much deeper pockets of American VCs. But in the last several months, Irish companies seeking to put their flag down in the US, with offices, sales teams, or to raise money, have had to contend with more challenges than ever in an already very challenging market. These moving parts are largely out of their control, steered by the man sitting in the Oval Office with his diatribes against free trade and climate science. As industries in…