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Milford Grange Primary School Google Maps

Spate of bomb hoaxes sees primary schools evacuated in five counties

There have been incidents in Cork, Carlow Dublin, Limerick and Waterford.

Updated 2.55pm

A NUMBER OF primary schools have been evacuated across Ireland following a spate of bomb scares, following a similar pattern to hoax calls that have hit a number of other countries internationally in recent weeks.

So far there has been confirmation that schools in Limerick, Cork, Carlow, Waterford and Dublin have all been affected.

Although the incidents are currently being investigated by gardaí locally, the incident mirrors recent activity in the UK and the United States.

So what’s been happening in Ireland? 

Calls seem to have been made to schools at around 10.30am this morning, and it is believed they may have come from an automated system based outside of the country.

One of the schools impacted was Milford National School in Limerick.

Limerick City Fire and Rescue and local gardaí arrived at the scene within minutes following the call, with around 20 gardaí carrying out a sweep of the premises.

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Pond, who is also a caretaker at the school, said that evacuation drills are carried out twice a year and so staff were well prepared for this eventuality, and that the building had been cleared in a matter of minutes.

“I think it is horrendous for someone to call in something like this to a primary school,” Pond said.

It soon became clear that it was not an isolated incident, and a number of other schools around the country had been evacuated due to similar hoaxes.

So far it is understood there have been evacuations at the following schools:

  • Drumnigh Montessori Primary School, Donaghmede, Dublin
  • Queen of Angels Primary School, Sandyford, Dublin
  • Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick
  • Holy Family Girls National School, Askea, Carlow
  • Whitegate National School, Midleton, Cork

There has also been an incident at a school in Waterford.

And what has been happening elsewhere?

The incidents are being investigated separately by local gardaí in each area.

There is nothing at the moment to confirm that these bomb hoaxes are linked, but they do seem to follow a recent pattern of bomb scares in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The PSNI said that schools in Northern Ireland have also received a number of ‘malicious communications’.

Seven schools across the region received threatening calls.

The PSNI said that it is liaising with police forces across the rest of the UK in areas where primary schools had received similar calls.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that hoaxers in the United States playing online games had used proxy servers and other high-tech methods to mask their identities to make threats against elementary, middle and high schools in six states, triggering major police reactions.

The incidents have been daubed “swatting” in the US, due to the presence of SWAT teams in the reactions to the incidents.

Yesterday in the UK, around 20 secondary schools in England and Scotland were closed following phone threats, leading to disruptions for children completing their GCSE exams.

First published 11.45am

Read: There are plans afoot to electronically tag Irish prisoners on bail for the first time

Also: Man charged with threatening to kill woman who witnessed Limerick shooting

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63 Comments
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    Mute Seamus Larkin
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Terrible comments. We should withdraw our aid from this backward regime until it treats all peoples with human rights.

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:28 PM

    Could say the same about this country.

    85
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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:56 PM

    @ Begrudgy: For all the criticism of this country, I believe we will be within the first 15 countries in the world to legalise gay marriage in 2015 as well as one of the first to legalise adoption by gay couples.

    That is most definitely a better record on gay rights than Nigeria’s.

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    Mute Marcus power
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:14 PM

    Ryan. ….I hope we can drop the inappropriate. … and dated moniker “gay ” and start just having adoption and marraige as rights in the societies that we live in as citizens. ..taxpayers and residents. …maybe I’m living in a fools paradise ????

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    Mute Donny White
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:40 PM

    Considering there are more convicted rapists than open homosexuals in Nigeria, I would respectfully suggest the good doctor address the more systemic and evil of the two issues.

    157
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:24 PM

    Hi everyone,
    If you could be mindful and respectful while leaving comments on this article, it would be much appreciated. We have a comments policy that can be read here: http://www.thejournal.ie/comments-policy/
    Any racist, homophobic or offensive comments will be deleted.
    Thanks in advance,
    Aoife

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:35 PM

    You guys are overzealous with your moderation to the point of censorship.

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:31 PM

    Whatever happened to freedom of speech? You might not like what they’re saying (and I certainly don’t!) but they do have the right to say it!

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    Mute Colm Durkan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:37 PM

    No, you don’t have the right to publicly say that homosexuality is the same as paedophilia.

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:42 PM

    Why?

    I’m not saying I agree there exists such a link, but who are you to censor anyone else saying as they please?

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    Mute Buster Ó Briain
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:53 PM

    They can say what they want, and we have the right to criticise it.

    Having the right to say something doesn’t make it exempt from criticism.

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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:05 PM

    @ Wallace: I don’t see anyone seeking to stop the Ambassador’s right to free speech. Merely he is being attacked and criticised for making such an invalid, untrue and hurtful comparison.

    @ Everyone:

    Normally I am not a fan of his, but I think Noel Whelan summed it up pretty well at the weekend in his Irish Times article:

    “Many liberals seem to be afraid to let a conservative position be heard in the debate. Do they lack confidence in their own ability to counter it? It is worrying at this important moment, a year out from when the people will directly decide on the issue, that a pattern has already developed of seeking to edit out opposing views rather than confront and defeat them.”

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/readiness-to-hurl-the-word-homophobe-may-not-help-the-liberal-reform-agenda-1.1667387

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:07 PM

    Metro Eireann showed poor judgement giving this man an award . Perhaps they should have considered honouring that gay Kenyan writer Ken Binyavanga Wainaina who came out in the past few weeks in a country that being gay is illegal . Countries who have human rights issues whatever the discrimination should have sanctions placed on aid

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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:16 PM

    That would be most countries worldwide so can’t see it working somehow.

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    Mute Sammy Sausages
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:49 PM

    I don’t like what he said but I’m not a fan of censorship either (or sending solicitor’s letters to gag people)….. I certainly don’t think this Governor should be in line for any type of an award with such an inhumane view of gay people.

    It’s easy to cater to populist opinions in your country, but it takes bravery and strength of character to say what is right.

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