Co Donegal explosive device made safe

An Army disposal unit has made safe a device found outside a house in Co Donegal last night.

An Army disposal unit has made safe a device found outside a house in Co Donegal last night.

Gardaí were notified of the suspect device at 10pm yesterday. The device was found outside a house in the townland of Transallagh near the Co Donegal village of St Johnston.

A bomb disposal was despatched from Athlone in the early hours of this morning and declared the area safe at 9.55am.

Gardai said 11 properties evacuated shortly before 10pm last night remain cordoned off as officers carry out secondary searches of the vicinity.

A garda spokesman said local residents are not expected to be allowed back into their homes until later today.

The Defence Forces said an army bomb disposal team arrived to examine the viable improvised incendiary device at the property at 8.15am this morning.

"The device had functioned prior to its discovery by gardai, but little damage had been done," said a spokesman.

"No controlled explosion was carried out.

"The device was dismantled and the remains were handed over to gardai on scene for investigation into the incident.

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It is believed the device was discovered at the home of a 26-year-old man shot in the neck last month.