Man accused of Continuity IRA membership freed

One of eight men accused of membership of an illegal organisation, the Continuity IRA, was freed by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today after a Garda Chief Superintendent’s evidence.

Chief Superintendent Sean Feeley said that he believed Matt Conway was a member of an unlawful organisation on December 19, 2001 but the charge against Conway specified membership on December 17, 2001.

Following the Chief Superintendent’s evidence, Conway’s counsel Mr Gerard O’ Brien SC applied to the court for a direction to find his client not guilty.

Prosecuting counsel Mr John Edwards SC said that after taking instructions from the DPP he was not opposing the application.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said the court entered a verdict of not guilty by direction of the court against Conway and discharged him. After shaking hands with his co accused, Conway left the dock and the court.

Conway (aged 67) , who is a member of Republican Sinn Fein’s Ard Comhairle, of Nicholas St, Kilcullen, Co Kildare had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on December 17, 2001.

The court has heard that eight men were arrested when a large party of gardai raided a house in the Shanabooly Road area of Limerick in December 2001.

Prosecuting counsel Mr John Edwards SC has told the court that gardai found a note in the house which referred to firearms and had other references to a person "wanted for knee cap job" and to a "safe house". He said the unlawful organisation in the case was the Continuity IRA.

The seven remaining accused have pleaded not guilty to a charge that on December 17, 2001, within the State, they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.

They are Des Long (aged 62), Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein, of Shannon Banks, Limerick, Patrick Kenneally (aged 58), of Crusheen, Co Clare, Patrick O'Shea (aged 54) of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick, Gerard "Ger" Brommell (aged 43), of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick, Robert Mc Namara (aged 59), of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary, Joseph "Tiny" Lynch (aged 61), of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Christopher Dunne (aged 28), of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick.

The trial which is expected to last six weeks is continuing.