Kevin Hannaway, 68, a Belfast resident and member of the "Hooded Men", will be tried in the Special Criminal Court on 11 January 2018 for allegedly assisting the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He and four co‑accused were arrested in August 2017 during a Garda operation targeting dissident republican activity in Dublin. Hannaway is charged with knowingly rendering assistance to the IRA by helping interview persons involved in IRA‑organised criminal activities at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, on 7 and 8 August 2015. His co‑accused, Eva Shannon (59), Edward O'Brien (41), David Nooney (52) and Seán Hannaway (47), are charged with the same offence and with membership of an unlawful organisation. All accused were remanded on continuing bail. The trial, expected to last eight weeks, is presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan.
Three men were charged at the Special Criminal Court on 14 December 2016 with membership of the Irish Republican Army, an unlawful organisation. Sean Walsh, aged 50, was arrested at 7.47pm in Cobh under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and brought to Cobh Garda Station. Joseph Walsh, aged 36, was arrested at 7.46pm in Cobh by Detective Garda Oisin Cotter and charged with the same offence. Michael Gilmartin, aged 46, was arrested at 7.41pm in Midleton by Detective Garda Geraldine Daly under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and for possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances. Gilmartin was also charged with possession of a semi‑automatic 9mm Walter pistol, a sawn‑off shotgun, and 22 rounds of ammunition under Section 27a of the Firearms Act. All three men were remanded in custody until the next Wednesday for bail hearings and legal aid applications.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the prosecution presented evidence that Philip McKevitt, aged 62, was accused of possessing an improvised explosive device in his shed at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, on 22 May 2010. Gardai had entered the shed after a surveillance operation and found a trailer containing two gas cylinders adapted to cause an explosion. McKevitt had pleaded not guilty to possession of explosive substances. The court heard that on 20 May McKevitt was seen with Conan Murphy in the yard, and that a garda heard an angle‑grinder in the shed that day. Two days later, at 7 pm, gardai entered the shed and saw McKevitt coming from the trailer. In interviews, McKevitt denied knowing the trailer or cylinders, claiming he had never seen them. The prosecution described his statements as "an incredible series of denials" and argued that the shed's size made it unlikely he could have missed the devices.
A 45‑year‑old Meath man, Darren Weldon, was found guilty of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The conviction was based on DNA evidence linking Weldon to a car registration plate recovered from the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Garda DNA swabs taken from Weldon matched the DNA profile on the plate. Weldon had previously denied membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) when he was charged on 14 October 2014. He had been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member who was killed in 2012. During the trial, a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising Alan Ryan was presented, and Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan testified that confidential information indicated Weldon's IRA membership. Weldon was remanded in custody until 16 January, when sentencing will occur.
A man from Drumlish, County Longford, has been sentenced to eight and a half years imprisonment following his conviction by the Special Criminal Court on charges relating to the placement of an explosive device on a passenger bus and the making of bomb threats during Queen Elizabeth's State visit in May 2011. Donal Billings was found guilty of unlawful possession of an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park and four offences under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 involving false reports of bombs at multiple locations including Busáras, Sinn Féin headquarters, Dublin Castle, and Cork airport. A suspicious object containing gunpowder and petrol was discovered in the luggage compartment of a Dublin-bound bus. The investigation utilised mobile phone records and CCTV analysis to identify the accused. Billings maintained his innocence during trial and claimed to have found the SIM card used to make the calls. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted the dangerous nature of the offences while acknowledging mitigating factors including the accused's age and cooperation with proceedings.
In the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Philip McKevitt, 62, to a bomb device in his shed. In May 2010, after Gardaí entered the shed, they discovered an improvised trailer containing two gas cylinders adapted for an explosion. McKevitt pleaded not guilty to possession of explosive substances. Dr. Clara Boland compared DNA profiles from McKevitt and items in the shed, finding a match on one gas cylinder, a pair of gloves, and a mixed profile on a Dunnes Stores bag handle. Earlier evidence showed 52,500g of Shamrock‑brand glucose in four Dunnes Stores bags in a car outside the shed. Amanda Lennon reported light‑green paint from a spray‑can, McKevitt's left shoe, and a bell‑wire reel, suggesting the paint was used on the command wire of a fully‑formed IED. The trial continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan presiding.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Philip McKevitt, 62, of Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, denied knowledge of a trailer and two gas cylinders found in his shed during a 2010 Garda search. The prosecution alleged that the improvised trailer, containing the cylinders, was intended to cause an explosion. McKevitt, who pleaded not guilty to possession of explosive substances, claimed he had never seen the trailer or cylinders and had no knowledge of their presence. He stated that on the evening in question he had gone to the shed to collect logs for another man, Conan Murphy, and that they were discussing football when Gardaí entered. The court heard that Gardaí had interviewed McKevitt six times, invoking sections of the Criminal Justice Act to draw inferences from his failure to account for the items. The trial continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan.
Declan Duffy, 43, of Hannover Street West, Dublin, faces charges of false imprisonment and violent disorder for incidents at The Towers, Garters Lane in Saggart on 9 June 2015. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, refused bail. Garda objections were based on the risk of flight and Section 2A of the Bail Act, with evidence from Detective Inspector Colm O'Malley and Detective Chief Superintendent Lorraine Wheatley. Duffy remains in custody until 3 October next year, when his trial is expected to commence.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Declan Duffy, aged 43, faces a bail application while charged with three counts of false imprisonment and violent disorder linked to an incident at The Towers, Garters Lane, Saggart, on 9 June 2015. The bail hearing, held at Cloverhill District Court, included objections from Gardaí citing Duffy as a flight risk, and from Detective Chief Superintendent Lorraine Wheatley, who invoked Section 2A of the Bail Act to argue that denying bail was necessary to prevent a serious offence. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, will decide the application tomorrow morning.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Philip McKevitt, aged 62, pleaded not guilty to possessing explosive substances after Gardaí discovered a trailer and two gas cylinders in his shed in Louth on 22 May 2010. The prosecution argued that the trailer, which advertised the website 'flogthelot.ie', had been adapted to conceal a bomb. Detective Garda Shane Curran presented evidence that the cylinders had been cut and strapped to a wooden frame within the trailer, and that a 26‑kg quantity of glucose and a 377‑metre roll of green‑spray‑painted wire were also found. Curran identified the wire as a command wire typically used to detonate improvised explosive devices from a distance. Sergeant Brendan Keane noted the discovery of a green‑spray‑painted cable in the shed's boot, describing it as a "significant find." The trial was scheduled to resume on Monday.
Conan Murphy, aged 30, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to seven and a half years' imprisonment, with eighteen months suspended, for his role in building an explosive. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of explosive substances in May 2010 and had been convicted in 2012, a conviction later overturned on appeal. The case centred on surveillance of a house in Aghaboys, County Louth, where Murphy was seen near a shed containing a trailer with a loading unit for a bomb, two large gas cylinders, 26 kg of glucose, and a length of command‑wire. The court found these items were part of an intended finished device, and the Emergency Response Unit's intervention prevented its completion. Murphy's guilty plea and lack of prior convictions were noted as mitigating factors. The sentence was back‑dated to 1 January 2024.
Ryan Glennon, aged 25, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after fingerprints and DNA were found in a Wexford house containing Semtex, rockets and other explosive materials. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Eagar with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, found him guilty based on evidence from Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan and the National Surveillance Unit. Glennon refused to answer questions about his IRA membership and involvement in the explosives, which the court interpreted as corroborative of the allegations. Physical evidence linked him to the scene, including fingerprints on a handcart and DNA on gloves. He was sentenced to six years in prison by the Special Criminal Court, the first trial at its second instance after a two‑year delay in cases at the original court.
Two Dublin men, Conor Hughes, 38, and Darren Fox, 26, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge, sawn‑off, double‑barrel shotgun and two 12‑gauge cartridges. The weapons were found in Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on 31 October 2015. Hughes lives in Goatstown Close, Goatstown, and Fox in Coolevin, Ballybrack. They were arrested by the Special Detective Unit during a dissident republican investigation. The court remanded them on continuing bail until 23 January, when sentencing will occur.
A barrister for Darren Weldon, 45, has applied to the Special Criminal Court to direct a verdict of not guilty in his IRA membership trial. Weldon pleaded not guilty on 14 October 2014. The prosecution alleges DNA links him to a number plate found in debris from a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Mr Hartnett argues significant frailties and gaps in the evidence, including the chain of DNA evidence and the fairness of a chief superintendent's belief evidence. The court will rule on the application on Monday.
Paul Mason, 28, was sentenced to two years in prison with eight months suspended after pleading guilty to assaulting Keith Lynch at Lynch's home in County Louth. The offence, committed on 16 February 2014, stemmed from a 2013 campaign in Ardee that listed Lynch's name among alleged drug dealers. On the night of the assault, Mason and two others confronted Lynch at his front door, claiming to be INLA members and demanding money. They punched, kicked and kicked Lynch to the ground, striking his face and eyes. Lynch later reported that the attackers threatened him with a deadline to pay a ransom. Mason was on bail for a prior theft conviction at the time of the assault. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found aggravating factors in the pre‑planned nature of the attack and the extortion threat, but noted mitigating factors such as Mason's lack of prior convictions and his apology.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Garda chief superintendent testified that he believed Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 14 October 2014. The prosecution argued that DNA evidence linked Weldon to a number plate found in the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The case was closed by the prosecution, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr John Gibson presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to a number plate recovered from the debris of a 2010 car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse. Gibson compared a DNA sample from Weldon to a profile obtained from the UK forensic services, concluding the probability of a coincidental match was "considerably less than one in a thousand million." He acknowledged uncertainty about how the DNA was deposited and its age, noting secondary and tertiary transfer were possible. Assistant scientific officer Chloe Holland had earlier recovered DNA from the top and bottom edges of the plate, while senior scientist Jonathan Irons reported receiving the plate on 3 March 2010. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, continues with Weldon pleading not guilty to IRA membership charges.
During a sentencing hearing in the Special Criminal Court, Donal O Coisdealbha, a 25‑year‑old Dublin man, pleaded guilty to membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He was arrested on 13 May 2015 after a Garda investigation that had followed him for months. The investigation uncovered explosive device components in his Maynooth University locker and in a house at Harbour Court, Courtown, Wexford. Items seized included improvised rockets, semtex, detonators, a time‑power unit, a broken circuit board, and a PIC chip. DNA evidence linked O Coisdealbha to the devices. Garda audio surveillance revealed discussions about building an artillery rocket and a planned event around the time of Prince Charles's visit. O Coisdealbha denied IRA membership during detention. He has no prior convictions and was remanded in custody until 6 December for sentencing. The maximum sentence for belonging to a dissident republican terrorist organisation is eight years.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 28 November 2016, Darren Weldon, aged 45 and resident of Drinadaly, Trim, was accused of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He pleaded not guilty to the charge of belonging to an unlawful organisation. The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Weldon to a number plate found in the wreckage of a car bomb that detonated outside the Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Garda investigators, led by Detective Garda Graham Dunne of the Special Detective Unit, interviewed Weldon on 14 October 2014 at Finglas Garda Station. Under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998, the court considered Weldon's refusal to answer questions about the Newry bomb and alleged IRA activities. The court accepted the DNA sample as admissible evidence, despite an objection from Weldon's counsel, and the trial proceeded. The hearing concluded with the court noting that Weldon had not responded to any of the questions asked.
Two men, Declan Duffy, 43, and Daniel Kane, 27, are set to be tried at the Special Criminal Court on 3 October next year for three counts of false imprisonment at The Towers, Garters Lane in Saggart, and for violent disorder. The trial, scheduled by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, is expected to last four weeks. Both men remain in custody awaiting the hearing. Their co‑accused, Christopher Maguire, 37, who has been ill, was not present at the hearing and his case is to be mentioned on 29 November.
In a case heard in the Special Criminal Court, Paul Mason, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assaulting Keith Lynch on 16 February 2014 at The Saltings, Annagassan, County Louth. Mason, who had been on bail for a prior theft conviction, claimed to be a member of the INLA and told Lynch that his name was on a list of "Drug Dealers Out" that had been posted around Ardee in December 2013. According to Lynch, Mason and two other men entered his home, where Lynch was with his partner and a 14‑month‑old daughter, and began punching and kicking him. Lynch reported that Mason struck him on the left cheek and that the men were "laying into him," before they left. The court remanded Mason in custody until 2 December, when he will be sentenced. The case was presented by Detective Sergeant Peter Cooney and prosecuting counsel Caroline Cummings BL, with defense counsel Hugh Hartnett SC.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Conan Murphy (30) was found making a 500-pound bomb in May 2010 at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, County Louth. The evidence was presented during the sentence hearing of Murphy, who had pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this week. This is his second trial for the offence. In 2012, the Special Criminal Court found him guilty of possessing the explosive substances and sentenced him to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment. Murphy successfully appealed that conviction last year, leading to a retrial ordered by the Court of Appeal. He is the son of Colm Murphy, who was convicted of the Real IRA bombing of Omagh which killed 29 people but was later cleared in a retrial following a successful appeal. Colm Murphy was also one of four men found by a civil court to be liable for the Omagh bombing. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit testified that in May 2010, gardai had information that suspected IRA members were constructing a bomb at an address in Mount Pleasant, County Louth. Surveillance operations led to Murphy's arrest on May 22nd, 2010, where detectives found a loading unit for a bomb, two large gas cylinders, and 26 kg of glucose in a car. Karida Naidoo SC for Murphy asked the court to consider his client's change of attitude, guilty plea, and restraints on his liberty under bail. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the three-judge, non-jury court, remanded Murphy in custody until December 9th, when he will be sentenced.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges ruled that the arrest of Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, on 14 October 2014 for alleged IRA membership was lawful. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann. The prosecution linked him to a car bomb by DNA evidence from a number plate found in the bomb's debris. The court rejected the defence's claim that a prior 2012 arrest made the 2014 arrest unlawful, citing different circumstances. The case continues with a voir dire on DNA evidence.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Philip McKevitt, 63, of Aghaboys, Dundalk, was accused of possessing an improvised explosive device (IED) at his home on 22 May 2010. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, presented evidence that Garda National Surveillance Unit and Louth Garda Síochána had conducted a surveillance operation in mid‑May 2010, suspecting the manufacture of a vehicle‑mounted IED at the property. Gardaí entered the premises after 6 pm on 22 May, arrested McKevitt and a second man, and seized items used for constructing an IED. These included a trailer adapted to conceal two gas cylinders, 377 m of command wire, green spray paint to mask the wire, and 52 bags of glucose in a Vauxhall Vectra. DNA evidence was also presented. The trial continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan presiding. Philip McKevitt pleaded not guilty.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old accused of IRA membership, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking him to a car number plate recovered from the debris of a 2010 car bomb outside Newry courthouse. Christine Lumsden, a PSNI crime scene investigator, testified that she attended the scene the morning after the February 22 explosion, searched for bomb fragments, and recovered the plate. She also noted that Sergeant Michael Gilmore had seen a Mazda 6 with an Irish registration parked outside the courthouse before the blast. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
Conan Murphy, aged 30, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing explosive substances at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, on 22 May 2010. He is the son of Colm Murphy, who was convicted of the 1998 Omagh bombing but later cleared on appeal. Conan's case is his second trial for the offence; he was previously found guilty in 2012 and sentenced to eight‑and‑a‑half years, but that conviction was overturned on appeal. The court has remanded him in custody for sentencing on 25 November, where a further charge of membership in an unlawful organisation will also be considered.
Séamus McGrane, 60, of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, faces trial in the Special Criminal Court for directing the activities of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) between 23 December 2009 and 13 May 2015, a period covered by a suppression order. He is also charged with membership of the IRA during the same dates. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, set the trial date for 3 October 2017.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Ryan Glennon, aged 25 and resident of Macken Villas, Macken Street, Dublin, was found guilty of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 13 May 2015. Glennon denied the charge. The court heard that Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan had provided evidence that Glennon was a member of the IRA on the relevant date. Evidence presented included a search of a house in Courttown, County Wexford, where gardaí discovered rockets and explosive materials. Four rockets were located inside a water butt on a handcart, with Glennon's fingerprints on the cart. A tupperware container in the kitchen contained Semtex, a pair of gloves, and DNA matching Glennon. Surveillance footage showed Glennon at the Courttown house on 9 May 2014. The three‑judge panel, presided over by Justice Robert Eagar with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, remanded Glennon in custody until 5 December, when he will be sentenced.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old from Drinadaly, Trim, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking him to a car registration plate found among the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The plate, belonging to a Republic of Ireland vehicle, was discovered 28 metres from the crater. Crime scene surveyor Alison Gilbert produced a map of the scene, indicating the plate's location. Sergeant Alistair Paterson of the PSNI testified that he had observed a Mazda 6 parked suspiciously against the courthouse gates on the day of the explosion, noted its Irish registration, and later heard the blast while cordoning the area. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, continues with Mr Weldon pleading not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army.
A 55‑year‑old Dundalk man, Joseph Finnegan, pleaded guilty to possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol, seven rounds of ammunition, a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun, three shotgun cartridges, and a stolen Ford Focus. He admitted these offences on July 11‑12, 2015, at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address. During a Special Detective Unit investigation into IRA activity, Gardaí stopped the stolen car, found a black backpack containing a semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition, and later discovered more firearms and ammunition in his home. Finnegan claimed he was asked to do a "wee message" and feared for his life. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Eagar, sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the firearms offences, five years for each ammunition offence, and two years for the stolen car, all to run concurrently and back‑dated to 7 November 2016, with one year suspended on the firearms sentence.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, it was reported that a car with a Republic of Ireland number plate was parked outside Newry courthouse minutes before a bomb exploded there on 22 February 2010. Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army. The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Weldon to the car's registration plate found in the blast debris. Witness statements, including those of Gerard Traynor and Dermot Butler, described the car's suspicious presence and the timing of the explosion.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, prosecutors presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to the February 2010 bomb blast outside Newry courthouse. The prosecution argued that a suspicious vehicle parked outside the courthouse was a stolen Mazda from Dundrum, and that its registration plate, found after the explosion, bore DNA matching a swab taken from Weldon's DNA while in custody on 14 October 2014. Witnesses described phone calls warning of a bomb and the timing of the explosion at 10:55 pm. Weldon, who denied IRA membership, had previously been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending Alan Ryan's funeral. The court also heard from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan regarding his belief about Weldon's involvement. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne present. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man, Donal O Coisdealbha of Abbeyfield, Killester, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to membership in the dissident republican terrorist organisation known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) or Oglaigh na hÉireann. He was charged with belonging to an unlawful organisation on 13 May 2015 and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 28 November.
Patrick Hutch Jnr, 24, faces trial at the Special Criminal Court in January 2018 for the murder of David Byrne, 34, who was shot dead during a boxing weigh‑in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February. Hutch was charged in May with Byrne's murder and later with possession of three AK47 assault rifles under the Firearms Act, alleging unlawful possession and intent to endanger life at the hotel. At a brief hearing, Hutch's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, requested a January 2018 trial date, which Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, set for 11 January 2018. The court noted it would not consider backlog criticisms and that the date was not linked to the court's schedule. The trial is expected to last three to four weeks, and Hutch remains remanded in custody until the trial date.
In the first trial at the new Special Criminal Court in Dublin, 25‑year‑old Ryan Glennon of Macken Villas was found guilty of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Glennon had pleaded not guilty on 13 May 2015. The three‑judge panel, led by Justice Robert Eagar with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan who claimed confidential information indicated Glennon was an IRA member. The court noted that Glennon's refusal to answer questions during Garda interviews—about his membership, involvement in IRA activity, and the presence of his fingerprints and DNA in a Courtown house containing Semtex, rockets and other explosive materials—was "supportive and corroborative" of the superintendent's claims. Testimony from the National Surveillance Unit placed Glennon at the house four days before the Garda raid on 13 May 2015.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing in Dublin, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were denied bail. Both men were charged with falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, by detaining him without consent. They also face charges of threatening to kill Hurley and assaulting him, causing harm, at the same location and date. Additionally, they are accused of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm – a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun – with intent to facilitate the false imprisonment. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, refused bail after hearing objections from Gardaí based on the seriousness of the charges and Section 2A of the Bail Act. The Dowdalls remain remanded in custody until 15 May next year, when their trial is expected to commence.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, 67, appealed a conviction for tax evasion related to a cattle farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co. Louth. He had pleaded not guilty to nine charges covering 1996/97 to 2004. The Special Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment. In the appeal, his barrister John Kearney QC argued that Murphy's brother, Patrick, had controlled the farm since before 1991 and that the authorities had targeted Thomas for tax that Patrick had already paid. Kearney cited documents and banking evidence suggesting Patrick operated the farm and the accounts, and that Thomas had no involvement in cattle farming. He presented 48 grounds of appeal, and the Court of Appeal hearing was scheduled to conclude the following day.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Ryan Glennon of Macken Villas, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to alleged IRA membership. Prosecutor Tara Burns SC presented evidence mainly from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan, who claimed, based on confidential information, that Glennon was an IRA member. Burns cited Glennon's failure to answer questions during Garda interviews and alleged forensic links: fingerprints on a handcart and DNA in gloves from a kitchen, alongside a large array of explosive materials found in a house in Courttown on 13 May 2015. Glennon's defence, led by Hugh Hartnett SC, challenged the reliance on opinion evidence and the absence of any prior statements from a chief superintendent, arguing that the evidence was "bare opinion" and that no explosives were found on the day Glennon was observed. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, postponed the verdict until Friday afternoon.
James Joseph Cassidy, aged 53, from Tullycollive in Castleblaney, County Monaghan, has been granted bail at the Special Criminal Court following his charge with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. He was charged on 21 September this year. The State consented to his release, and he was ordered to sign on twice daily at Castleblaney garda station and observe a night-time curfew between 11pm and 7am. Mr Cassidy must not apply for travel documents, leave the jurisdiction or travel to Northern Ireland. He is also prohibited from engaging in political activity, associating with persons convicted or charged at the Special Criminal Court, and contacting proposed prosecution witnesses. Released on his own bond of €5,000, the case was remanded until 13 December for mention.
In a brief sitting at the Special Criminal Court, Owen McCann, 35, admitted possession of firearms and ammunition. He pleaded guilty to holding a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit, two ammunition magazines, and one round of .22 calibre ammunition, all found in Jenkinstown, Dundalk, on 17 December last year. McCann was arrested by the Special Detective Unit in December. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, remanded him in custody until 21 December, when sentencing will occur.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 8 November 2016, DNA evidence linked Ryan Glennon, a 25‑year‑old of Macken Villas, Dublin, to a pair of gloves seized from a Courttown house in Wexford. Glennon, who pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), was alleged by the prosecution to have been connected to the property where a large amount of explosives had been found. Forensic scientist Dr. Hilary Clarke compared Glennon's DNA profile to a sample taken from the gloves and found that elements of his profile could not be excluded as a major contributor. The glove sample contained DNA from two main contributors: Glennon and another man. Dr. Clarke acknowledged the possibility of DNA transfer between individuals. The prosecution closed its case, and the trial was scheduled to continue with closing speeches from both sides.
During a sentence hearing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Joseph Finnegan, aged 55, was described as having been caught with a pistol and ammunition while claiming he was carrying out a "wee message" for certain people and that he feared them. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to possession of an 8mm calibre blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, both at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address, on 11 July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun and three rounds of shotgun cartridges on 12 July 2015, and to possession of a stolen Ford Focus on 11 July 2015. At the hearing, Detective Inspector Anthony Lenehan recounted that the Special Detective Unit was investigating IRA activity in County Louth and that Finnegan was suspected of storing and moving firearms.
Paul Mason, 28, of Ballygarra Park, Garristown, pleaded guilty this morning in the Special Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Keith Lynch on 16 February 2014 at The Saltings, Annagassan, Co Louth, contrary to the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, adjourned sentencing to 25 November pending a victim impact report. Mason remains in custody and was remanded by Justice Hunt until the sentencing hearing.
In the Special Criminal Court, fingerprints on a handcart found in a house at Harbour View, Courttown, were matched to Ryan Glennon, 25, of Macken Villas, Dublin, who is accused of IRA membership. The court heard that during a search of the Courttown premises, gardai discovered rockets and explosives, and that evidence links Glennon to the property. Detective Garda Niall Lannon presented the fingerprint comparison, stating there was "no doubt" the prints were made by Glennon. He also noted that fingerprints can persist for a long time, a point agreed by the defense. Interviews with Glennon were conducted under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act, allowing inferences from his refusal to answer questions about IRA membership and the Courttown house. Glennon pleaded not guilty to the charge of membership in an illegal organisation. The trial continues before Justice Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan presiding.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dublin resident Ryan Glennon, aged 25, faces charges of membership in the Irish Republican Army. The prosecution alleges that a large quantity of explosives was discovered at a property in Courttown, Co. Wexford, and that evidence links Glennon to the site. Glennon has pleaded not guilty. Lawyers Hugh Hartnett SC and Tara Burns SC have presented arguments concerning the legality of Glennon's arrest and detention. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, will decide on the issue on Monday.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Ryan Glennon, 25, of Dublin, pleaded not guilty to IRA membership. The prosecution presented evidence that a house in Courttown, Co. Wexford contained a large quantity of explosives linked to Glennon. Detective Garda Shane Curran examined items found on 13 May 2015, including a green water butt holding four improvised steel rockets, 75 g of Semtex, 4.8 kg of pyrotechnic powder, electric switches, detonators, battery clips, and circuit boards, all deemed components for an improvised explosive device. In a kitchen crate, fertilizer, gardening gloves, and a steel tube with holes were also found, again suggested for I.E.D. construction. Sergeant Eamon Ryan reported seeing Glennon and two others at Violet Hill park on 14 March 2015, an unusual gathering. The trial was set to resume on Tuesday morning.
In Dublin on 27 October 2016 the second Special Criminal Court held its first trial. The defendant, Ryan Glennon, 25, pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation that styled itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Prosecutor Tara Burns SC presented belief evidence from a Garda Chief Superintendent that Glennon was a member on 13 May 2015, supported by evidence from a search of a Courtown property on that date where a large quantity of explosives was found and items linked to Glennon were recovered. Burns also cited surveillance of Glennon and two others by Gardaí on 9 May 2015, and their appearance together in March and April 2015. After Glennon's arrest, he failed to answer material questions in interviews, allowing the court to draw inferences. The trial, presided over by Justice Robert Eagar with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, is expected to last two weeks.
A 66-year-old man from Drumlish, County Longford has been convicted at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of possessing an explosive substance and making bomb threats during a state visit in May 2011. Donal Billings was found guilty of unlawfully possessing an explosive device at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011, and of four counts under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 relating to false bomb reports. He was convicted of making false reports claiming bombs had been placed at Busáras and Sinn Féin headquarters in Dublin, at Dublin Castle, and at Cork airport. The court heard that an improvised explosive device was discovered on a passenger bus following one of the telephoned threats. Evidence established that phone calls making the threats were made using a SIM card purchased by Billings in Longford and traced to his mobile phone's unique identifier. The three judges rejected his claims of coincidence and found him an unreliable witness. Billings was remanded in custody pending sentencing on November 30th.
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for Jonathan Dowdall, 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, 59, both of Navan Road, Dublin 7. The former Sinn Fein councillor and his father are charged with possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, described as a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun, with the intent to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley at the same address on January 15, 2015. The court set the trial for May 15 next year, with proceedings expected to last two weeks. This procedural step follows the validation of the sentence stage, though the specific finalisation for the accused remains an adjournment to the fixed trial date. The report attributes these allegations to the defendants, who have not yet been found guilty. No plea, finding, or immediate sentence was recorded in this specific procedural update, which solely establishes the timeline for the upcoming trial. The matter is therefore adjourned to the specified date for full trial proceedings, rather than being concluded or finalised at this stage.
A 37‑year‑old Limerick man, Larry McCarthy, faces trial at the Special Criminal Court on charges of threatening to kill Noel Moore and to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The court set a trial date of 19 June next year. McCarthy applied for bail, but the court heard objections from Garda Niall Fitzgerald, citing concerns that he might commit further serious offences, and from Chief Superintendent David Sheahan, who invoked Section 2A of the Bail Act to argue that bail should be refused to prevent a serious offence. The court will decide on the bail application on Thursday morning. McCarthy also faces separate charges at the Special Criminal Court for threatening to use unlawful violence and for assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014, with a trial date of 3 July next year. He has been remanded in custody until Thursday morning.