IRA man on hunger strike in Portlaoise Prison

A Co Louth man who was convicted of IRA membership is on hunger strike in Portlaoise Prison, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

Barry O'Brien (aged 38), a father of three from Mountainview Court, was convicted last December of membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on April 6, 2004.

The court had been due to sentence O'Brien today, but prosecuting counsel Mr Gerard Clarke SC told the court that he was not present in court.

Mr Clarke said that he had been furnished with a medical report that said that O'Brien was not fit to attend court.

"I am told he is apparently, on hunger strike," he added.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, remarked that at a recent court appearance O'Brien "looked very poorly".

The court remanded O’ Brien until February 15 for sentencing.

During a three-day trial last year, chief superintendent Patrick Magee said in evidence it was his "strong belief" that O'Brien was an IRA member.

Superintendent Magee also said he had known O'Brien for many years on a personal basis, and was very familiar with his activities "and of his involvement with the IRA".

Garda forensic witnesses told the court they were "satisfied" O'Brien's fingerprints were found on items seized from a car in Dublin in 2003, in which firearms were discovered.

The driver was subsequently convicted of IRA membership, while two other men arrested during the operation pleaded guilty to possession of firearms.

The court was also told that books of raffle tickets for “POWs”, walkie-talkies and €6,000 in cash was discovered when gardaí searched O'Brien's house in April 2004. O'Brien denied these were for IRA

fund-raising purposes.