Controlled explosion after old grenade found in Midlands farmyard
A CONTROLLED explosion was carried out on Monday evening after the discovery of what appeared to be an old hand grenade in a farm shed in the Midlands.
The owner of the property where the explosive device was found estimated that it dated from the 1920 or 1930s but he could not be sure.
“The truth of the matter is it was just an old war-time hand grenade,” said the man, who did not wish to be named.
He called the gardai and personnel from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit arrived to examine the find.
The grenade was found in a farmyard down a cul-de-sac opposite St Colman's Church, Mucklagh, just outside Tullamore.
A woman living nearby said the bomb disposal unit examined the device: “They did say they couldn't be sure it was viable or not because of the age of it. All precautions were taken.”
Gardai, both plain clothes and uniformed, along with members of the Defence Forces maintained a presence on the main road at the entrance to the cul-de-sac.
At 9.38pm the blast was heard and Defence Forces personnel and gardai left the scene at about 10pm.