Investigation launched following discovery of imitation grenade in Clare town

The army bomb disposal unit was called to Shannon on Saturday evening after a suspected grenade was found in a car.

A garda spokesperson confirmed gardaí attended following the discovery of a suspect device in a vehicle at Sli an Sionnaigh, Shannon, County Clare, on Saturday, March 1.

"A cordon was put in place. The Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended and removed the vehicle for further examination.

"The road was temporarily closed and has since reopened," said the garda spokesperson who added that "investigations are ongoing".

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It's understood the grenade may have been an imitation which looked very authentic and was, thus, treated as a real risk to life.

The car that was targeted by the perpetrators was a silver Audi and there was a heavy garda presence in and around the scene after the alarm was raised.

An Irish Defence Forces spokesperson said bomb disposal experts from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána in relation "to a suspected explosive device in the Shannon area".

"Following an assessment by the EOD team this device was deemed to be non-viable, and the scene was handed over to An Garda Síochána. This operation has now concluded," said the spokesperson.