Most Carlow schools open as normal after nationwide wave of threatening emails

Most schools in Carlow opened as normal on Thursday after a threatening email was sent to schools across the country.

St Joseph’s NS in Carlow town was among the schools open, along with St Leo’s College, Educate Together, Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc, Scoil Chomhgháin Naofa, Killeshin and Bennekerry NS, among others.

St Joseph’s principal Fergal Browne said the email to his school arrived late on Wednesday night and was part of a countrywide wave of similar threats received by schools. Following Department of Education guidance, he said, school officials alerted local gardaí and carried out a security check of the premises before opening as normal.

“Most people didn't see the email until well after hours,” he said.

“The Department email advised that there was an email going around and to alert the local gardaí if you did get one, and then to follow procedure, so it was clear cut enough and we were open as normal today.” “I checked the building last night myself as well,” he added. He explained that, like other schools, St Joseph's is well alarmed and secure.

Mr Browne said some schools had called out gardaí, but that all schools received “the same generic email”.

Nationally, gardaí said they are ‘assessing the contents and credibility’ of the threatening email. The email arrived on Wednesday, when schools were closed to pupils because of the public sector strike. More than 150 schools around the country were reported to have received similar messages, including several primary and secondary schools in Donegal.

The Department of Education said it had consulted with gardaí, who advised any school that received the email to call 999 and report the threat. The Department said it had passed this advice on to schools, boards of management, management bodies and unions, and that schools could keep operating as normal unless gardaí instructed otherwise. The INTO said it was not in a position to comment, but was advising members to report any concerns to gardaí and follow their advice.

It is the second time this year that Carlow schools have been targeted. On 27 May, 20 primary schools in the county received a threatening email shortly after 7am. The email threatened mass shootings and included a photograph of three guns, understood to be a stock image, and 10 schools decided to close.

Gardaí set up an investigation team at Carlow Garda Station and said the email was believed to have been routed through another country. High-visibility patrols were put in place around all 42 primary schools in the county in the days that followed. The Irish Examiner later reported that Carlow gardaí were being assisted by the Special Detective Unit. Sources told the paper that this was common where a motive needed to be clarified and did not mean a terrorist motive was suspected.