Shotgun found in Tralee school
Management at the school yesterday praised gardaí for making the discovery.
The sawn-off shotgun and a full-sized, double-barrel, shotgun were found hidden behind fascia in the attic at the all-Irish Scoil Mhic Easmainn, Rahoonane in Tralee.
The discovery was made without gardaí having to enter the school.
The after-hours’ school search on Wednesday was a follow-up to the finding of another sawn-off shotgun in the backyard of a house at the nearby Rahoonane estate, on Tuesday evening.
One of the guns was understood to have been stolen.
A man in his 20s questioned by gardaí in Tralee, in connection with the arms finds, was released at lunchtime yesterday without being charged.
The man had been held for an extended period under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and a file will be sent to the DPP.
The man is known to the gardaí but the weapons are not believed to have any links with subversive activities.
The guns are being forensically examined by Garda experts.
In a statement, Scoil Mhic Easmainn principal Maire Mhic Giolla Rua said: “We were aware there was a Garda presence in our school at night when there was no school personnel in the building.
“This morning our local Garda community officer came into the school and told us they were very pleased with their investigation and had successfully found guns hidden in the roof.
“We are confident the gardaí have been very competent in their work and the school is now clear.”
