More than 100 houses were evacuated and the M1 motorway in north Dublin closed yesterday, as an Army bomb disposal team removed a live shell from a house in Whitehall and made it safe on a local football pitch.
The shell, which is believed to be more than 60 years old, was discovered by Mr Robbie O'Connor in the attic of his home at Glenaan Road shortly before 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Gardai, who were alerted by Mr O'Connor, called in the Army who confirmed the find was a three-inch artillery shell. However, they decided not to move the shell or evacuate the area pending further examination yesterday morning. Mr O'Connor and his wife Linda and daughter Lea (4) did, however, move out on Wednesday night.
An Army bomb disposal team X-rayed the shell and decided to transfer it to the nearby Ellenfield Park yesterday morning.
Comdt Eoghan O Neachtain, of the Army Press Office, said the shell was a type used in the second World War. It had been fired but had not exploded. There was 14lb of explosive in the shell.
It was decided at 10 a.m. to evacuate Glenaan Road and streets in the immediate vicinity. By 12.15 p.m the evacuation area was extended as the shell was being moved from the house. According to Comdt O Neachtain the Army was delighted with the response of local people to the evacuation.
Garda cars with loudspeakers patrolled the area asking occupants to leave as uniformed gardai knocked on doors and moved the onlookers away from the scene.
After the bomb was made safe Ms O'Connor commented that her family had been redecorating their home.
"I'm just glad we didn't have to start all over again," she added.
According to Ms Sheila O'Rourke, who lives adjacent to Glenaan Road, and who was evacuated yesterday, the house at Glenaan Road had been occupied by a family called Bracken until the O'Connors moved into it two years ago.
