A Limerick man convicted of membership of the Continuity IRA has been jailed for four years at the Special Criminal Court today.
Jailing Patrick O'Shea (54) for four years, with the final year suspended, Mr Justice Paul Butler presiding said the court had to take account of the gravity of the offence.
The court heard evidence that the Continuity IRA is the "armed and military wing of Republican Sinn Féin" of which Mr O'Shea is also a member.
O'Shea, a tiler and father of two of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick, was one of seven men charged with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the IRA on December 17th, 2001.
His six co-accused were acquitted yesterday after the court cast doubt on the validity of Garda opinion evidence based "on confidential sources" that all seven were members of the Continuity IRA.
The men were arrested when armed gardaí raided a house in the Shanabooley Road area of Limerick on 17th December, 2001, during which they seized a note which referred to firearms, a person "wanted for knee-cap job", "shooting" and "safe house".
O'Shea accepted responsibility for the note but the court rejected his explanation that he was checking out the criminal background of two prospective members of Republican Sinn Féin as "incredible".
The trial, which began in mid January and ended on April 10th, lasted 48 days, making it one of the longest in the history of the non-jury court, with estimated costs to the State of some €3 million.