GANGSTERS stored three shotguns and ammunition on the roof of a Dublin primary school.
Detectives believe that the haul belongs to a gang of young hoods that includes Aaron Rattigan, a cousin of jailed gangster ‘King Ratt’.
Gardai made the shocking discovery at the Mhathair De school on Basin Lane in Dublin's south inner city after reports of suspicious activity.
A source said: “This is a very worrying trend – a pipe bomb was found at a school in Crumlin only a few weeks ago.
“These guns were controlled by a new breed of gangsters involved in feuding in the south inner city.
“They are highly dangerous and very erratic and worse than anything that came before them.”
The weapons were being forensically examined today.
One concerned local man told the Herald: “It’s sickening. Any child who might have climbed onto the roof to get a football could have found the guns.”
Local people have condemned the incredibly dangerous practice of hiding guns and ammunition so close to children.
Parent Jason Leahy (36) said today: "I'm sickened by what has happened and I'm even tempted to bring my child home."
Ann Maghan (42) added: "The people who did this should be locked up in jail, it's really frightening."
Another furious woman said: "It's disgraceful. Kids could have climbed up and found the guns. When my own daughter was 11, she found a handgun at the local football pitch.
"She took the gun away from a three-year-old child who picked it up. My daughter gave the gun to the gardai and they gave her an award. It's just terrible. This place is getting like the Bronx."
School principal Noreen Flynn said: "At no point were the children in any danger. We monitor our children very carefully. It is unfortunate that this has happened.
"We have received assurances from the gardai that they were be monitoring the school carefully and we are reassured by this."
She said incident has reflected the reality of what is happening in society but that there was no way the children would ever get on to a roof in the school.
"The children are very happy here. It's an oasis in the community," Ms Flynn said.
Officers from Kilmainham Garda Station discovered the shotgun cartridges and guns during the planned search.
They suspect that the criminal behind the cache are a new breed of gangsters. The are looking closely at pals of Aaron Rattigan (22), who is the first cousin of jailed heroin kingpin and convicted murderer Brian 'King Ratt' Rattigan.
He is under active death threat from rival mobs as well as the IRA, who have been demanding extortion money from him.
Last month, a criminal gang targeted his family home when a pipe bomb exploded on the windowsill of the house.
The bomb's main component flew across the street and smashed through a neighbour's front window.
No one was injured but a number of families were evacuated from their homes in Hanover Street.
This was not the first time that Aaron's home was targeted – petrol bombs were thrown at it on October 24 last year.
On Tuesday, at Cloverhill District Court, a teenager was jailed for nine months in relation to this incident.
Tony Dempsey (18) claimed he had control of the explosive device due to an ongoing feud in the area.
Judge Grainne Malone said the charge was very serious and she sentenced Dempsey to nine months detention.
Dempsey, of no fixed abode but from the New Cabra Road area, Dublin 7, admitted before Cloverhill District Court to having control of an explosive petrol bomb and components.
feud
Garda Sergeant Brendan Stynes said there is an ongoing feud between gangs in the south inner city and it was believed that Dempsey was involved in it.
It has previously been reported that there are six major gangs with 186 members affiliated to them operating in the south inner city. Sources say that Aaron Rattigan is strongly connected to one of these mobs.
