A Carlow man convicted of membership of the IRA has been jailed for four years at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
Mark Doran (27), Poacher's Lock, Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, was convicted of membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, on October 26th, 2006.
Presiding at the three-judge court, Mr Justice John MacMenamin yesterday said that it was "no exaggeration to say that Mr Doran's involvement with paramilitary activities has wrecked his life".
Doran, who had pleaded not guilty, was bar manager of a hotel in Carlow at the time of the offence.
Det Insp Thomas Maguire told the court that Doran has two previous convictions, one of which is currently under appeal.
Previously the court was told that during a search of Doran's flat, gardaí had found military manuals, books and DVDs, raffle tickets used during a fundraiser for the families of IRA prisoners, and two bodhráns, one with a picture of a woman with a rifle and the other with signatures from several Portlaoise prisoners.
Delivering the court's judgment, Mr Justice MacMenamin said that such material was "consistent only with significant paramilitary involvement".
He also said that although the court did take into account the mitigating factors of Doran's employment and the evidence of his former employer as to his honesty, it could not disregard the nature of the offence.