20 Carlow Primary Schools Reopen After Mass Shooting Email Threat; Gardaí Continue Patrols

Twenty primary schools in Carlow town and county reopened on Thursday after receiving threatening emails on Wednesday morning. High-visibility Garda patrols are scheduled to continue for several days around all 42 primary schools in the county.

The threatening email, which arrived in school computer systems around 7 AM on Wednesday, detailed a threat of mass shootings and included a photograph of three guns, understood to be a stock image. This led at least 11 schools to close as a precautionary measure. Gardaí are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including the possibility that the email was sent by a group aiming to provoke a large-scale policing response by targeting institutions. Authorities noted the email was routed through another country, and its credibility is currently under investigation.

Mayor of Carlow, Paul Doogue, described the period as «very frightening» for those affected. He expressed hope that the perpetrators would be apprehended and face the full force of the law. Doogue acknowledged that while schools were open, some parents might choose not to send their children due to lingering worry and upset, a sentiment he understood given the frightening nature of the threat for children, parents, and teachers. He commended the Gardaí and all involved in tracing the originators of the email.

Superintendent Anthony Farrell confirmed that high-visibility Garda patrols around all schools commenced on Wednesday and would persist following the threat. Additionally, senior-level communication channels have been established with the Department of Education and Youth.