Several schools have been closed today in an Irish town after receiving a threatening email claiming there would be a “mass shooting”.
More than 10 primary schools in Carlow and across its county closed on Wednesday after receiving the sinister email, which Gardai (Irish Police) are now probing but suspect at this stage to be an elaborate hoax, the Irish Mirror reports.
Following advice from Gardai, all the schools that received the email closed, and officers also stepped up patrols in the area. The Irish Mirror said these were the schools that decided to close: St Fiacc’s NS, Ballyconnell NS, Scoil Mhuire gan Smál, St Laserian’s NS, Rathvilly Primary School, Scoil Molaise in Old Leighlin, Scoil Mhuire Lourdes, Rathmore NS, Drumphea School, and St Columba’s.
Speaking to local radio KCLR, Fergal Brown, principal and local councillor of St Joseph’s National School, which also closed, said: “Basically there was an email sent around from a Gmail account to numerous schools in Carlow. Now some of the emails were actually wrong. I was speaking to two principals lately and they were mentioned but the email addresses were wrong on it. It seems to be a generic email that came around and God knows where it came from. It could have come from a different country.”
“It (the email) just indicates there could be a mass shooting in a school. But I imagine it’s a hoax and the gardai have been liaising with all the schools and talking with myself this morning a good bit on it.
“There is an increased garda presence in the town as a result and it is obviously concerning but I want to reassure the parents that schools are very safe places and there are a lot of systems in place and we will learn from this as well,” he continued.
“Hopefully today we’ll all go home safely and sit down as a group of principals later on again when things calm down a bit and see how we can react to these threats in the future.”
Gardai confirmed they were aware of the email and are now liaising with multiple schools as part of their investigation.
A spokesperson told the Irish Mirror: “An Garda Síochána is aware of a communication that has been sent to a number of educational establishments in Co. Carlow today, Wednesday 27th May 2026.
“Gardaí are currently assessing the contents and credibility of that communication. Senior Garda leadership have opened communication with the affected educational establishments. No further information is available at this time.”