Bomb warnings across Ireland as Queen arrives

Bomb warnings all across Ireland have marked the arrival of Queen Elizabeth on Irish soil.

Police are currently investigating a suspect device at the Ashtown gate in the Phoenix Park, close to the Presidential residence where the Queen will have lunch with Mary McAleese.

Dublin’s Luas railway line was the subject of a hoax warning on Tuesday morning before the Royal jet landed at Casement Aerodrome.

Army bomb experts also diffused an elaborate hoax at Fairview Park on the northside of Dublin.
Court houses in Drogheda, Dundalk and Monaghan were evacuated but later re-opened after hoax bomb warnings.

The Victoria Shopping Centre in Belfast was also the subject of a coded warning from dissident Republicans and was cleared of all shoppers.

The latest threats come after a viable device was dealt with and defused in the Kildare town of Maynooth, again after a coded warning from Republican activists.

The pipe bomb was located on a bus bound for Dublin from Ballina following a phone call to police in Longford that a device had been placed on the bus.

Up to 30 passengers were evacuated and residents told to stay indoors before Army experts defused the device.

The discovery of the explosive device came after a coded bomb threat by the Real IRA in London.
Security is tight in Dublin with traffic restrictions in place across the city.

A huge police presence has been augmented by the arrival of armed officers from England who have accompanied the Queen on her visit.

------------------

Queen’s visit touches many sensitive nerves – VIDEO

Queen Elizabeth regrets she will not visit her Irish ancestor’s graves during visit

-------------------