Republicans in 'pub threat' probe released

Two republicans who were being questioned after a couple were threatened by a drunken gang claiming to be from the IRA were tonight released without charge.

Sinn Féin confirmed that two of its members were among the six men arrested by Gardaí in connection with the incident in O’Mahony’s Bar in Manorhamilton, Leitrim.

Gardaí said all six men had been released after questioning and a file on the incident was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A Sinn Féin spokesman said: “Apparently this relates to an exchange of words between two groups of people on Monday night and on face value appears to be a minor issue. We are awaiting the outcome of Garda inquiries.”

A group of men, who claimed to be members of the IRA, burst into the pub last Monday at around 8pm, and accused a couple inside of being drug dealers. One of the men was carrying a hurley.

They told the couple that they had only days to to get out of town.

However, a staff member at the bar said the men had been intoxicated when they entered.

“They just had too much to drink. It was only verbal and there was no actual fighting. It’s the end of it here as far as everyone is concerned.”

The men were ejected from the bar afterwards.

The couple, who are in their early 40s, were regular customers in the bar and are believed locally to be innocent of the allegations.

“I was chatting to them this morning. They were fine, they’re just a bit shaken about it,” said the staff member.

Two of the men were being questioned in Sligo Garda Station, two in Manorhamilton and two in Carrick-on-Shannon.

The Chief Superintendent for the Sligo/Leitrim area, Michael Staunton, said the men had been questioned about public order offences under the Criminal Justice Act, as opposed to the Offences Against the State Act, which is used to question those suspected of IRA membership.

“That indicates the direction the investigation is going,” he said.

There are around 10 bars in Manorhamilton, a small town of around 1,400 people.

It has experienced rapid population growth in recent years due to tax incentives for housing developments and its proximity to Sligo town.