Dundalk men in court following explosives find

Two Dundalk men appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday in connection with an explosives find in Meath on Tuesday.

The pair, both in their 40s, were arrested after Gardaí stopped two cars on the N52 between Kells and Ardee on Tuesday and discovered explosives.

Michael Connolly (42) of Grange Drive, Dundalk, was charged with membership of the IRA on December 16^th.

Meanwhile, Brian Fitzpatrick (49) of Castleross, Dundalk, was charged with two counts of possession of an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances on the same day at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan, Co Meath.

Meanwhile, a Dundalk man, as well as two others, are due to go on trial in the Special Criminal Court in July 2016 charged with possession of explosive devices in Kilcurry on May 25^th last.

Gareth Mulley (45) with an address at Ashling Park, Dundalk, is charged with the possession of an explosive substance along with David Gallagher (37) of Marley Court in Drogheda and William Burns (38) of Kerrera Street, Ardoyne, Belfast, Co Antrim.

They are alleged to have had in their possession PETN and RDX, an adapted 50 litre beer keg, 50kgs of ammonium nitrate home-made explosives, an improvised detonation cord, an improvised steel booster tube and an improvised time and power unit.

Mr Mulley and Mr Gallagher have also been charged with membership of the IRA.

Trio arrested in Kilcurry remanded in custody after appearance at Special Criminal Court

Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court this morning charged with IRA membership.

Two of the three also face charges of possessing explosives after gardaí intercepted the transport of a suspected bomb over the border at Kilcurry on Sunday evening.

Gareth Mulley (44) with an address at Aisling Park in Dundalk and David Gallagher (37) from Marley Court in Drogheda are both accused of membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on the same date.

They’re also charged with the unlawful possession of explosives, including PETN, RDX and homemade explosives, following their arrest at Kilcurry Church at the weekend when they were found with an adapted 50kg beer keg.

William Burns (38), from Kerrera Street in Ardoyne in Belfast, is also accused of possessing explosives in the Kilcurry area on Sunday last.

Members of the Special Detective Unit this morning gave evidence to the non-jury court of the arrest and caution of the three men.

Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce told State Solicitor Mr Michael O’Donovan that he arrested Mr Mulley shortly after 7pm on Tuesday evening on Father Connolly Way in Drogheda, while Det Gda Kieran Hobbs said he arrested David Gallagher on the doorstep of Ashbourne Garda Station at the same time yesterday evening.

Detective Garda Padraig McManus told Mr O’Donovan that he arrested William Burns on Carrick Road in Dundalk yesterday evening.

He said that when he again met Mr Burns in the confines of the court this morning and explained the charge to him in ordinary language, the accused man replied: “I didn’t know it was explosives”.

There was no application for bail on behalf of any of the accused men, however legal aid was granted to Mr Mulley after an application by his Solicitor David Thompson.

All three were remanded in custody to appear again before the Special Criminal Court next Wednesday June 4^th.