Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1736Attempted bombing (drone-launched pipe bomb) · Co. Dublin · 5 May 2025

Drone carrying pipe bomb crashes in Finglas in botched Dublin feud attack

In the early hours of Monday 5 May 2025, a drone carrying a pipe bomb crashed at a house in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, after the intended attack went wrong. The drone was being flown by one criminal faction to target a close associate of a rival gang leader, but it crashed beside an innocent family's home without the pipe bomb exploding. Defence Forces bomb disposal experts were called in to make the device safe and removed it for further analysis. Gardaí regard the incident as a significant escalation in a local feud that has seen several serious incidents, including shots being fired, in recent weeks. No arrests or charges have been reported.

  1. Reported5 May
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A drone carrying a pipe bomb crashed at a house in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, without the pipe bomb exploding.
Where
The incident occurred at a domestic residence in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, a north Dublin suburb.
When
The crash occurred in the early hours of Monday, 5 May 2025.
Cause
The drone was being flown by one criminal faction to target a close associate of a rival gang leader, but the intended attack went wrong and the drone crashed beside an innocent family's house.
Weapon
The device was a pipe bomb carried by a drone, designed to be detonated by hitting the ground at the intended target's home.
Investigation
Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts attended the scene, made the device safe, and removed it for further analysis.
Other details
  • Gardaí regard the incident as a significant escalation in a local feud that has seen several serious incidents, including shots being fired, in recent weeks.
  • The main protagonists in the feud have been before the courts on serious charges including those relating to firearms.
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA drone carrying a pipe bomb crashed at a house in a north Dublin suburb in the early hours of Monday. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereGardaí attended a domestic residence in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, following reports of a suspicious device. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe drone was being flown by one criminal faction to target another when the intended attack went wrong. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationDefence Forces bomb disposal experts were called in to make the device safe. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended the scene and declared the device safe. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe device was removed for further analysis. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGardaí regard the incident as a significant escalation in a local feud. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGardaí said the incident could have caused serious injury or loss of life. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe target of the attack was a close associate of one of the two feuding gang leaders. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherSeveral serious incidents, including shots being fired, took place in recent weeks as part of the feud. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe main protagonists in the feud have been before the courts on serious charges including relating to firearms. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 May2025
    Reportedirishtimes.com, first report
    Drone carrying pipe bomb crashes in botched Dublin feud attack

    Details the drone bomb crash, the feud context, the target's identity as a close associate of a gang leader, and the response by Gardaí and the Defence Forces EOD team.