Gardaí say that a person has been charged after an incident at a church in Navan, Co Meath where a woman interrupted a Confirmation ceremony to say that she wanted to speak, before adding “I have a bomb strapped to me”.
A video has emerged of the incident in a packed St Mary’s church in Navan where hundreds of sixth-class children from schools around Navan, in addition to their parents and sponsors, were in attendance. The youngsters were preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation from the Bishop of Meath, Tom Deenihan.
The woman made her way up to the altar and to the microphone saying: “Can I speak?”. She then said: “I have a bomb strapped to me”.
She was quickly escorted from the altar by teachers and a priest who brought her outside the church. They have been praised for dealing quickly with the incident.
One parent told the Irish Examiner: “The lady came into the church and got up to the microphone. She held her jacket closed and said she had a bomb and wanted to speak.
“The priests and teachers got up there quickly and ushered the lady outside. Honestly, I don’t think a lot of people heard exactly what she said because no one really seemed to be panicking.
“Our own daughter didn’t hear what she said, thankfully but I did. ”
An Garda Siochana told Gript: “Gardaí responded to a report of a public order incident at a premises in Navan, Co. Meath on Saturday 21st March 2026 at around 1pm.
“A woman, aged in her 40s, who was arrested at the scene has since been charged.
“She is due to appear in court at a later date.
“As this matter is now before the courts there is no further information available.”