A controlled explosion has been carried out on a hand grenade found in Lahinch and believed to date from the War of Independence.
The viable historic Mills 36 grenade was found at a house in Lahinch Co Clare yesterday.
It’s understood that a man, who was cleaning out a recently purchased house, recognised the object as a grenade and placed it in the back garden before raising the alarm.
Gardaí travelled to the scene to view the object before contacting the Defence Forces to seek assistance from bomb disposal.
Gardaí remained at the scene overnight until an army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team arrived this afternoon.
EOD technicians examined the object before it was safely removed to the local GAA club where it was placed in the ground and covered in sandbags. A controlled explosion was carried out at lunchtime and the scene declared safe a short time later.
A Defence Forces spokesman confirmed: “Following a request from An Garda Síochána, an Army Bomb Disposal Team was tasked to investigate a suspect item in Lahinch. The team arrived on scene at 1.00pm.
On arrival a cordon was established for the duration of the operation. A historical Mills 36 hand grenade was identified and disposed of. The scene was declared clear of explosives and the team departed the scene at 1.25pm.”
The spokesman added: “Should members of the public encounter suspicious items, or hazardous substances, they are advised to maintain a safe distance and inform An Garda Síochána.”