Grenade from 1920s found in Limerick garden

A number of homes were evacuated after a live historic grenade was discovered in Limerick city overnight.

The Army Bomb Disposal Team were called to a house in Janesboro shortly after midnight after the device was discovered by a resident carrying out gardening work at his home.

The grenade was taken to a location nearby where a controlled explosion was carried out.

The scene was declared safe at 00.40am.

A spokesperson for the Defence Forces confirmed the device was a Mills Type Grenade dating back to the 1920's/ War of Independence era.

“The team arrived on scene at midnight and a cordon and traffic restrictions had been put in place for public safety, with a number of nearby houses evacuated. The grenade was taken to a safe nearby location where it was made safe by means of a controlled explosion,” the spokesperson said.

The Defence Forces deployed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team in response to a request from the Gardaí Síochána after the suspect object was discovered by a member of the public who was carrying out gardening work at his homes, the spokesperson added.