A number of schools in Carlow have closed after they received an email threatening a mass shooting. 

A Garda investigation is underway and officers are understood to have visited a number of the schools in question. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, local principal and Fine Gael Councillor Fergal Brown said his school received the email but has decided to stay open. 

“There seem to be two separate emails and it was eight or nine schools mentioned in each of the emails,” he said. 

“Some of the email addresses actually were wrong on the email as well - which didn't help - but it seems to be generic email going around. 

“So, we've been liaising with the Gardaí all morning and they're meeting schools individually and advising them. 

“But some schools have opted to close for their own reasons.” 

Cllr Brown said the email was not long, but its content was “obviously upsetting” to those who received it. 

“It just gave a threat to the schools about multiple mass shootings - but look, it was a very short email,” he said. 

“They seemed to use an image of weapons that would have been downloaded from Google.”

Cllr Brown added that the email was only read when many families were on the school run, meaning they made the decision to stay open. 

Despite this, he said staff are being extra “vigilant” about potential threats. 

“There is a need for clear guidelines from the Department [of Education] because it was bounced upon us this morning very quickly,” he suggested. 

“It's amazing how it can take off first thing in the morning.” 

Overall, Cllr Brown said he feels that the threats of violence are sadly the “nature of life nowadays”.

Main image: Members of Gardaí on patrol. Picture by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie.