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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance. A number of schools in Carlow are closed today after they received threatening emails. Parents of children in at least three schools have been contacted to say that they got threatening messages and they won't open today to ensure the safety of both the children and the staff.
Fine Gael councillor Fergal Brown is principal of St Joseph's Boys School in Carlow and Fergal also received this threatening email and he joins me on the line. Good morning to you.
Good morning Clare.
So can you tell us a bit about the email?
No, it seemed to be sent to a lot of schools in Carlow town lately.
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Chapter 2: What prompted the closure of schools in Carlow?
Um, there was seem to be two separate emails and said it was eight or nine schools mentioned in each of the emails. Now some of the email address actually were wrong on the, on the email as well, which didn't help, but, um, it seems to be generic email going around. So obviously we've been liaising with the Gardaí all morning and, uh, they're meeting schools individually and advising them.
But, uh, some schools have opted to close, uh, for their own reasons and the rest of us have stayed open, but obviously we are being vigilant.
So you stayed open. It wasn't a nice message. We did.
Okay.
Tell me about your decision making around that.
Well, look, I got the email late in this morning. So by that stage, kids were on the way to school anyway. And we're unique here that we have a senior boys school ourselves and a girls school. So the senior boys school weren't in the original, weren't mentioned at all. So they were going to be staying open anyway. And obviously we were, the kids were on buses in our place already.
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Chapter 3: What details are known about the threatening emails received?
So Look, we are vigilant. We're vigilant every day in school, unfortunately, the way life has gone now. And we're obviously extra vigilant today. And I would be liaising with the guard, myself, guardie locally. And they're making contact with all the schools and advising as well. And there is, I understand, an increased guard presence in Carletown today as well.
So the guards were happy enough with your decision to stay open today?
There were, yeah. And I could have advised other schools that as well. But look, every school is different and every school has different circumstances, but they'll make their own call on it. But I suppose there's no doubt, hopefully today will pass without any incident. There is probably a need for clear guidelines from the department because it was bounced upon us this morning very quickly.
And it's amazing how it can take off first thing in the morning. And parents are committed for work and maybe not able to collect children if they don't go to school. So there's major issues involved. But obviously we are.
What was the threat in the email? What did it say?
Well, no, it just, it was, it was, it seems, it's from a Gmail account and the guards obviously will be investigating it. They'll be going back to the IP address to see exactly where it originated from. It might even be from Ireland, for all we know. It could be from a different country and it just gave a threat to the schools about multiple mass shootings.
But look, it's, it was, it was a very short email and They seem to use a Google image of weapons that would have been downloaded from Google. It wasn't a specific threat, but it's obviously upsetting. But I understand there's similar threats made in other counties last week as well. So unfortunately, this can happen.
And even I spoke to different colleagues going back years ago, this would have happened a time back years ago as well. So look at it.
It's pretty terrifying though, Fergal, isn't it? To get something like that.
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Chapter 4: How did the principal decide whether to keep the school open?
It's a big responsibility to take, though, to make that decision to stay open in light of that threat, though, isn't it?
Oh, it is, yeah. It is, and obviously it mutually is with your board of management and it is with the local Gardaí. But the local Gardaí have been very supportive and very good in their advice. And with the extra patrols in the town, hopefully everything will calm down today. But certainly we'll need to put in maybe better procedures in future.
Right, so you're seeking guidance from the department on this because, as you say, it has happened in the recent past and it's probably going to become more common as these things are in the ether both here and internationally.
Yeah, there was a threat made to a local school here going back a few years ago now as well. And as far as I remember, it was only to a specific school back then and the bomb squad came down and they were evacuated. But that was a hoax as well. So these things happen maybe so often you hear about them and unfortunately it was our turn today.
But look, hopefully we'll all be safe and we'll carry on with schooling.
I mean, I don't know if the boys know about the threat at this stage. They probably don't because they've been in class all morning.
And they don't know. The teachers are getting on. There's a GEA coaching going on here today now and the sun is shining and they're outside doing a bit of learning back in their classrooms and We're just keeping life as normal as possible.
I'm sure that the parents are probably well aware of it. Have you had any contact from parents who are concerned?
They are, yeah. And you're trying to reassure the parents too. And some parents have collected the children themselves that they've opted to do that and that's their prerogative. But all we can do is reassure them that we're doing everything that we can do here. And as I say, we are linking in with the Gardaí and they'll advise us.
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