Courts / Louth / Report

Dissident republican leader jailed for 11.5 years over Prince Charles bomb plot

Date
2017-12-08

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dromiskin

County
Louth

Summary

Seamus McGrane, 63, of Dromiskin, County Louth, was sentenced to eleven and a half years in prison for directing the activities of a terrorist organisation and six and a half years for IRA membership. The Special Criminal Court convicted him in October of directing the IRA between April 19 and May 13, 2015, and membership from January 18, 2010, to May 13, 2015. McGrane, who denied both charges, was found to have plotted an explosion during Prince Charles's State visit, targeting the Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin. The sentences run concurrently. His ally, Donal O'Coisdealbha, pleaded guilty to IRA membership on May 13, 2015, and was jailed for five and a half years. The court noted McGrane's previous convictions, including a 2001 sentence for firearms training, as aggravating factors. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy dismissed a letter from Eamon O'Cuiv TD as unconvincing. The judge highlighted that significant explosive materials, including Semtex and detonators, were found at locations linked to McGrane and O'Coisdealbha. This marks the second conviction for directing terrorism in the State, following Michael McKevitt's 2003 sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dissident republican leader jailed for 11.5 years over Prince Charles bomb plot. Charges or matters: membership of the IRA on May 13th, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

April 19th Hearing Or Sentence
May 13th, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
October 31st Hearing Or Sentence
January 18th, 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
October 1999 Incident
May 2015 Incident
May 19th Incident
April 12th, 2010 Incident
2017-12-08 Publication

Case subjects

Donal O'Coisdealbha

Defendant

Charges: membership of the IRA on May 13th, 2015 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Michael McKevitt

Convicted Person

Charges: membership of the IRA on May 13th, 2015 (Alleged Or Contested)

Outcome: Michael McKevitt was jailed for 20 years in 2003 for directing terrorism. At McGrane's sentence hearing last month, Michael O'Higgins SC had submitted that there were distinctions between his client's case and Michael McKevitt's.

Prince Charles

Convicted Person

Outcome: Credit: Collins) A dissident republican leader convicted of directing the activities of a terrorist organisation which plotted an explosion during the State visit of Britain's Prince Charles two years ago has been jailed for eleven and a half years.

Seamus McGrane

Convicted Person

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted