Ireland Bail granted to law student charged over bomb intercepted in Monaghan
On a Wednesday, gardaí stopped a car on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, travelling towards Northern Ireland, and a bag on the rear seat contained Semtex military-grade explosive and a detonator. Gardaí requested army bomb squad help that afternoon, and the device is believed to have been intended for a dissident republican attack in the North. A woman in her 20s, reported as the driver, was arrested on Thursday, and Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, a law student, has been charged with possession of explosives. Sullivan was remanded in custody and then granted bail at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on a Friday evening, though one report gives Cavan District Court, with a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, a curfew and no contact with Saoradh or the New IRA, and she is next due before Monaghan District Court on 7 August.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Charged1 Jul
- In court1 Jul
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A bag on the rear seat of a car contained Semtex military-grade explosive and a detonator.
- Where
- The car was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, travelling towards Northern Ireland.
- When
- The car was stopped on a Wednesday, and gardaí requested army bomb squad help that afternoon.
- Cause
- The bomb is believed to have been intended for a dissident republican attack in the North.
- Investigation
- Members of the Special Detective Unit requested help from the army bomb squad, and the Garda Commissioner described the seizure as extremely significant.
- A woman in her 20s, reported as the driver, was arrested and detained on Thursday, and a man in his 40s was arrested and remains detained at a garda station in the Dublin region.
- Charges
- Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a 25-year-old law student, has been charged with possession of explosives.
- In court
- Sullivan was remanded in custody pending confirmation that she had met bail conditions.
- Sullivan's case was heard at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on a Friday evening, though one report says bail was granted at Cavan District Court by Judge Raymond Finnegan after the surety was confirmed.
- Bail conditions include a €15,000 independent surety, surrendering her passport, an approved address, a phone available 24/7, daily sign-in at Naas Garda Station and a 9pm to 7am curfew.
- Gardaí requested a condition that she have no contact with Saoradh or the New IRA.
- Sullivan is next due to appear before Monaghan District Court on 7 August.
- Other details
- Her defence said she had been asked to take the bag north, was not aware of its contents, and had been manipulated.
- Her lawyer, Gavin Booth, said he did not say Syria in court and that the word used was Saoradh.
41 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA bag in the rear seat contained Semtex military grade explosive and a detonator. (thejournal.ie)
- whatIsobella Perrie Sullivan was charged with possession of explosives. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe accused is a 25-year-old law student charged with possession of explosives. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA bomb was intercepted in a car near the Irish border. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA bomb was found in a car that was travelling towards Northern Ireland. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe Garda Commissioner said the item was an explosive device. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe car was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. (thejournal.ie)
- whereA bomb was intercepted in a car in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe accused was stopped by gardaí on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe vehicle was stopped on the N2 south of Carrickmacross. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe car was stopped on the Wednesday before the article was published. (thejournal.ie)
- whenGardaí requested army bomb squad assistance on Wednesday afternoon. (thejournal.ie)
- causeThe bomb is believed to have been intended for a dissident republican attack in the North. (thejournal.ie)
- weaponA bag in the rear seat of her vehicle contained Semtex and a detonator. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationMembers of the Special Detective Unit requested help from the army bomb squad. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeSullivan was charged with possession of explosives. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe charge is possession of explosives. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe woman has been charged in relation to the investigation. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShe was remanded in custody pending confirmation that she had met bail conditions. (thejournal.ie)
- courtBail was granted with a €15,000 independent surety and other conditions. (thejournal.ie)
- courtBail conditions included surrendering her passport and a curfew from 9pm to 7am. (thejournal.ie)
- courtGardaí requested a condition that she have no contact with Saoradh or the New IRA. (thejournal.ie)
- courtJudge Finnegan granted bail at Cavan District Court after the surety was confirmed. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShe is next due to appear before Monaghan District Court on 7 August. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe charge was heard at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on a Friday evening. (thejournal.ie)
- courtAt a second hearing, the defendant was granted bail. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on a Friday evening. (thejournal.ie)
- courtJudge Raymond Finnegan granted bail. (thejournal.ie)
- courtBail conditions included a €15,000 independent surety, surrendering her passport, an approved address, a phone available 24/7, daily sign-in at Naas Garda Station and a 9pm to 7am curfew. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe woman is due to appear before a Special Sitting of Trim District Court that evening. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceBail included a €15,000 independent surety. (thejournal.ie)
- otherHer defence solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag north and was not aware of its contents. (thejournal.ie)
- otherHer defence solicitor said she had been manipulated. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe defendant is from Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe defendant's lawyer said he did not say Syria in court and clarified that the word used was Saoradh. (thejournal.ie)
- otherBail conditions include surrendering her passport and a curfew from 9pm to 7am. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí requested a condition that she have no contact with members of the Saoradh political party or the New IRA. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe defence said the accused had been asked to take a bag north and was not aware of its contents. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe Garda Commissioner described the seizure as extremely significant. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe driver, a woman in her 20s, was arrested and detained on Thursday. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA man in his 40s was arrested and remains detained at a garda station in the Dublin region. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Jul2026Woman charged over bomb discovery believed to have been intended for Northern Ireland attack
Reports the woman's charge and her court appearance before Trim District Court, a second arrest of a man in his 40s, and comments from the Garda Commissioner.
accused, 20s, femalesuspect, 40s, male - 1 Jul2026Law student (25) charged with possession of explosives after bag containing Semtex found in car
First report of the charge and bail. Adds the stop location, the contents of the bag, the defence account that she had been asked to take the bag north and was unaware of its contents, and the bail conditions.
accused, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Isobella Perrie Sullivan - 1 Jul2026Lawyer of student charged with possession of explosives says she did not spend time in Syria
Clarifies that the defendant's lawyer, Gavin Booth, did not say she had spent time in Syria; he said she had spent time with the republican group Saoradh, and the Syria claim was a mishearing repeated in media reports.
accused, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Isobella Perrie Sullivan - 1 Jul2026Bail approved for law student charged over bomb intercepted in Monaghan
Reports that Sullivan was granted bail at Cavan District Court after surety approval, with conditions including a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, a curfew and no contact with Saoradh or the New IRA. She is next due before Monaghan District Court on 7 August. Her defence said she had been manipulated into carrying the bag.
accused, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Isobella Perrie Sullivan