Six cleared, one convicted of CIRA membership

Six men have been acquitted of membership of the Continuity IRA and a seventh has been convicted.

Six men have been acquitted of membership of the Continuity IRA and a seventh has been convicted.

The men, all from Limerick, were arrested following a Garda investigation into the activities of suspected dissident republicans in the Limerick area.

The seventh man, Patrick O'Shea (54), was convicted and is due to be sentenced tomorrow morning.

All seven men denied the charge they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann.

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The trial was one of the longest trials in the history of the Special Criminal Court and was also the biggest trial of dissident republicans to come before the court.

During the trial, a defence counsel described the defendants as "a group of aul' fellows who, between them, would keep any outpatients' hospital department busy".

The seven were arrested at a house in Shanabooly Road in Limerick on December 17th, 2001, where gardaí suspected a meeting of the Continuity IRA was taking place.

Ms McMorrow, defending, said what was actually taking place that night "was a formal meeting of Republican Sinn Féin".

During the trial, the defence suggested that a senior garda involved in the case was fed "incorrect information" that the accused were members of the IRA.