Drone delivering flying pipe bomb used by gangsters in Dublin attack

Dublin Live

05-05-2025

Gangsters used a drone to launch a flying bomb attack against a rival in Dublin overnight, it has emerged.
The Irish Mirror has learned that the Defence Forces' EOD unit had to be called to be make the pipe bomb safe following the incident in Finglas, north Dublin early this morning. It's believed to be the first time criminals have ever used to a drone to launch a flying bomb – and comes as tensions between two gangs in the area have been simmering for the past fortnight.
Sources have told us that the drone was flying near Glenties Park when it crashed. The target of the attack was a low level criminal in the Finglas area who is part of a gang that has been rowing with another outfit for the past few weeks - and shots have been fired several times.
We have learned that an ally of the criminal targeted with the drone bomb was also in the rival gang's sights overnight. It is understood that criminal left his own home a few hundred yards away from the failed drone attack when he heard what happened.
Gardai who rushed to the scene discovered the drone and found that it contained a suspected pipe bomb. They quickly called in the Defence Forces' Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit – or bomb squad – who made the device safe. It's understood it was a sophisticated and viable device – and the experts had to carry out a controlled explosion on it.
A number of houses were evacuated during the alert, which lasted several hours. The device has now been removed for technical examination by experts. Gardai confirmed it called in the Defence Forces during the alert.
A spokesman told us: "Gardaí attended a domestic residence following reports of a suspicious device in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11 in the early hours of this morning, Monday 5th May 2025.
"The Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended the scene and conducted a controlled explosion on the viable suspect device. Investigations are ongoing." We have asked the Defence Forces for comment.
Sources tell us the outfit behind the drone attack is led by a thug who was once a key ally of Glen Ward, the criminal who ran the infamous Gucci Gang in the area. But they fell out a few years ago and are now bitter rivals. He is a suspect for a murder bid on Flashy and his brother Eric O'Driscoll in Finglas in June 2022.
Ward's enemy is now involved in a feud with another gang. And the criminal, who himself was shot several years ago, is also a suspect for the horror attack on Browne's Steakhouse in nearby Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve, 2023. Gunman Tristan Sherry was murdered moments after he shot and fatally wounded Jason Hennessy, 48, in the attack.
Sherry, 26, had another gunman with him - and detectives believe it was the man behind the flying drone attack. Ward, 32, was last week jailed for five and a half years for firearms offences.
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
He was jailed for firing a semi-automatic rifle AR-15 rifle from the back door of a Finglas home during a house party in January 2022.
Ms Justice Melanie Greally told the Special Criminal Court the firearm Ward used was powerful and capable of causing serious injury or death. She noted that gardai found the weapon alongside a "sizeable cache" of ammunition. Video footage retrieved from a phone showed Ward, having already fired the gun, encouraging his younger brother Eric O'Driscoll to take and discharge the firearm, she added.
Ward previously pleaded guilty to a charge that on January 1, 2022 at an address in Finglas he possessed or had control of a .223 calibre Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. O'Driscoll, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of the same gun. He was jailed for five years.
Gardai discovered the rifle alongside a military sub-machine gun during a search of a house in Finglas in February 2022. Ward's gang was one of the most dangerous in Dublin and was heavily involved in drug dealing, violence and intimidation.
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