Ireland House burned in arson attack on Celbridge Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare
A vacant seven-bedroom house on Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare, was damaged in a fire in the early hours of Wednesday 7 February 2024, which gardaí are investigating as criminal damage by fire and suspected arson. Nobody was in the building or injured, and the property owner is the victim. Gardaí link the fire to a series of suspected arson attacks on properties falsely rumoured to house asylum seekers, and an earlier fire at Leixlip on 30 January 2024 is also under investigation. On 4 June 2024 a man in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Co Kildare, and investigations are ongoing.
- Reported7 Feb
4 reports - Arrested7 Feb
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí are investigating a fire at a vacant seven-bedroom house as criminal damage by fire and a suspected arson attack.
- Substantial damage was caused to the property, and one report says the fire destroyed much of it.
- Where
- The house is on Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare.
- When
- The fire occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 7 February 2024, and gardaí were alerted at about 1:30am.
- The Garda notice also refers to a separate fire in Leixlip on Tuesday 30 January 2024.
- Cause
- Gardaí suspect the fire is the latest in a series of arson attacks on vacant properties due to be used, or rumoured to be used, for asylum seekers.
- Online rumours said the house would accommodate asylum seekers, which gardaí and the Department of Integration said was untrue.
- Other details
- Gardaí had been monitoring the house, and the owner had taken extra security measures after being warned it could be targeted.
- Several protests had been held at the house in the previous week, and at least one anti-immigration activist broke into it last month.
- Nobody was in the building and nobody was injured in the fire.
- The house had been vacant for some time and was bought last year for more than €1 million.
- Sources disagree on earlier incidents: one says the house was targeted by two earlier failed arson attempts that caused no damage, another says the first attack caused minor damage, and one report does not mention an earlier attack.
- Investigation
- An incident room at Leixlip Garda Station is led by a Senior Investigating Officer, and the scene was sealed for a technical and forensic examination.
- Gardaí are examining CCTV, checking whether the fire is linked to other incidents, and appealing for information, including camera or dash cam footage from 12:30am to 2am.
- On 4 June 2024 a male in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Co Kildare.
51 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí are investigating two incidents of criminal damage by fire. (garda.ie)
- whatSubstantial damage was caused to the property. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí are investigating the fire as criminal damage by fire. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí are investigating an incident of criminal damage by fire. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA vacant property in Co Kildare was damaged in a suspected arson attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe house was burned down in an arson attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incidents occurred in Leixlip, Co. Kildare. (garda.ie)
- whereThe fire was at a vacant residential property on Celbridge Road in Leixlip. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe house was a seven-bedroom property on the Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe house had been vacant for some time. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe property is on Celbridge Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe house was on the Celbridge Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incidents occurred in the early hours of Tuesday 30th January and Wednesday 7th February 2024. (garda.ie)
- whenThe fire occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whenThe fire occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 7 February 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe house was set on fire in the early hours of Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- causeGardaí suspect the fire is the latest in a series of arson attacks on vacant properties due to be used for asylum seekers or rumoured to be. (irishtimes.com)
- causeGardaí were monitoring the house because of false rumours it was to be used to accommodate asylum-seekers. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA male in his 40s was arrested on 4 June 2024 in connection with the investigation. (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
- investigationAn incident room has been established at Leixlip Garda Station and the investigation is led by a Senior Investigating Officer. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe scene is preserved pending a full technical examination. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are asking anyone in the area between 12:30am and 2am who saw unusual activity, or who has camera or dash cam footage, to contact them. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAn incident room has been established at Leixlip Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is led by a Senior Investigating Officer. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are investigating the suspected arson attack on the seven-bed house. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe scene has been sealed off ahead of a full technical examination. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for anyone with information about the Leixlip attack to come forward. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA major investigation has begun into the latest attack, and a senior investigating officer has been appointed. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA technical and forensic examination of the property has been carried out. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are examining a large amount of CCTV to identify those responsible. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are working with units elsewhere to determine whether the Leixlip fire is linked to other incidents. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe arrested man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Co. Kildare. (garda.ie)
- otherNo persons were in the building at the time of the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí say they are aware of a significant volume of misinformation, disinformation and rumour about the use or proposed use of the building. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí said the incident was yet another suspected arson attack on a site at the centre of unfounded rumours. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí said rumours that the house was to be used to house asylum seekers were not true. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherNo persons were in the building at the time of the fire. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherNobody was injured in the fire. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherRumours had circulated online that the property was planned to be used to accommodate asylum seekers. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Department of Integration said the rumours were false. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe house was targeted by two earlier attempted arson attacks in recent weeks that caused no damage. (irishtimes.com)
- otherLast month, at least one anti-immigration activist broke into the house. (irishtimes.com)
- otherNo one was injured in the fire, but the property was substantially damaged. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe owner had taken additional security measures before the fire after being warned by gardaí that the property could be targeted. (irishtimes.com)
- otherSeveral protests had taken place at the house in the previous week. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí said this was the second time the house had been targeted in an arson attack in recent weeks. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe first attack caused minor damage. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe latest fire destroyed much of the property. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe property was bought last year for more than €1 million. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 8 Feb2024Gardaí were monitoring Leixlip house targeted in arson attack due to false asylum centre rumours
Original report of the Leixlip arson. It adds that the house had been monitored by gardaí over false rumours it would house asylum-seekers, that the owner had taken extra security measures, that protests had taken place there, and that a major investigation and CCTV review are under way. It also mentions a separate Ringsend arson, which is not part of this case.
victim - 7 Feb2024Leixlip fire: Vacant building in Co Kildare damaged in latest suspected anti-immigration arson attack
Adds that gardaí link the fire to a series of arson attacks on properties rumoured to house asylum seekers, that the house was targeted by two earlier failed arson attempts and a break-in last month, that no one was injured, that the scene is sealed for technical examination, and that gardaí are appealing for information.
- 7 Feb2024Another suspected arson attack probed at site falsely linked to asylum seekers
Adds that the house had been vacant for some time, that nobody was injured, that gardaí have set up an incident room at Leixlip Garda Station with a Senior Investigating Officer, and that gardaí say rumours that the house would house asylum seekers are untrue.
- 7 Feb2024Gardaí investigating after early morning fire at vacant property in Kildare
Describes the property as vacant and says no one was in the building. Gardaí say they are aware of misinformation and rumour about the building's use, have set up an incident room at Leixlip Garda Station, and are appealing for witnesses and camera footage. Does not mention a second attack.
- 7 Feb2024Arrest - Criminal Damage by Fire incident in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, 7th February 2024
Adds that gardaí are investigating two fires, on 30 January and 7 February 2024, and that a male in his 40s was arrested on 4 June 2024 and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
suspect, 40s, male