Law student granted bail and man charged over car bomb seized in Co Monaghan
On 22 July 2026, a bag containing Semtex and a detonator was found in the rear seat of a car stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, in an intelligence-led operation targeting dissident republican activity. Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, a law student from Clane, Co Kildare, was arrested as the driver, and a man in his 40s was also arrested in connection with the investigation. Both were subsequently charged; Perrie Sullivan appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court on 24 July and was granted bail with conditions including a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, curfew, and daily sign-in at Naas Garda Station. The man in his 40s, detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, is due before the Special Criminal Court on 25 July 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested24 Jul
- Chargednot reported
- In court24 Jul
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A bag containing Semtex and a detonator was found in the rear seat of a car stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
- Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, a law student from Clane, Co Kildare, was arrested after the car she was driving was stopped by heavily armed members of the Emergency Response Unit.
- A man in his 40s was also arrested in connection with the investigation.
- When
- The vehicle was stopped at approximately 3pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026.
- Investigation
- The operation was an intelligence-led swoop targeting dissident republican activity, and the Irish Defence Forces EOD team was called to examine the vehicle.
- The man remains detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region.
- Charges
- Perrie Sullivan was charged with possession of explosives, and the man in his 40s was also charged in relation to the investigation.
- In court
- Perrie Sullivan appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court on 24 July 2026 and was granted bail with conditions including a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, curfew, and daily sign-in at Naas Garda Station.
- The man in his 40s is due before the Special Criminal Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice on 25 July 2026.
- Other details
- Her solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag to the north and was not aware of its contents.
- DUP leader Gavin Robinson questioned the court's decision to grant bail.
52 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA vehicle was stopped travelling on the N2 south of Carrickmacross (garda.ie)
- whatA female in her 20s was arrested in connection with the investigation (garda.ie)
- whatA male in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation (garda.ie)
- whatA trainee lawyer in her 20s was arrested after the car she was driving was stopped (irishmirror.ie)
- whatLegal textbooks were found in the law student's vehicle (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe seizure was an explosive device (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested and subsequently charged (garda.ie)
- whatA bag containing Semtex and a detonator was found in the back of her car (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA bag containing Semtex and a detonator was found in the rear seat of a car (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe is studying for a law degree and wants to become a barrister (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man in his 40s was also charged and is due before the Special Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- whatDefence said she was asked to take a bag to the North and did not know what was in it (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe male is detained at a Garda station in the Dublin region (garda.ie)
- whereThe vehicle was stopped on the N2 south of Carrickmacross (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe car was driven through rural Co Monaghan (irishmirror.ie)
- whereA vehicle was stopped on the N2 south of Carrickmacross (garda.ie)
- whereShe was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan (irishmirror.ie)
- whereShe is from Abbeylands Park in Clane, Co Kildare (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe car was stopped on the N2 at Aclint, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan (irishtimes.com)
- whereShe lives with her father in Kildare (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe vehicle was stopped on Wednesday 22 July 2026 (garda.ie)
- whenThe vehicle was stopped at approximately 3pm on 22 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe vehicle was stopped on 22 July 2026 (garda.ie)
- whenThe court appearance is scheduled for 25 July 2026 at 9:00pm (garda.ie)
- whenThe bomb was found in her car on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe male remains detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationTwo people were arrested following an intelligence-led swoop (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHeavily armed members of the Emergency Response Unit stopped the car (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man is being quizzed by detectives at a Garda station in Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Irish Defence Forces EOD team was requested to assist and completed an examination of the vehicle (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe area was evacuated after the discovery of the explosives (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe female has been charged in relation to the investigation (garda.ie)
- courtThe female is due to appear before a Special Sitting of Trim District Court on 24 July 2026 at 7:00pm (garda.ie)
- courtThe man is due before the Special Criminal Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice (garda.ie)
- courtShe appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on Friday evening (irishmirror.ie)
- courtShe was granted bail but remains in custody ahead of a further bail hearing on Monday (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBail conditions include a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, curfew, 24/7 phone, and daily sign-in at Naas Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- courtShe appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court on Friday evening (irishtimes.com)
- courtShe was granted bail with conditions including a €15,000 surety, passport surrender, daily sign-in at Naas Garda station, and a curfew of 9pm to 7am (irishtimes.com)
- courtGardaí requested a condition of no contact with anyone in Saoradh or the New IRA (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe operation targets dissident republican activity (garda.ie)
- otherThe operation targets dissident republicans (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGarda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed details at a Garda graduation event in Co Tipperary on Friday (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDissident republicans who did not agree with the Good Friday Agreement did not put weapons and explosives out of use (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí work with PSNI and UK intelligence services to deal with the threat (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe outcome of the EOD examination is not being released for operational reasons (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe operation is targeting dissident republican activity (garda.ie)
- otherHer solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag to the north and was not aware of its contents (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDUP leader Gavin Robinson questioned the court's decision to grant bail (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA man in his 40s remains in custody at a Garda station in the Dublin area (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 25 Jul2026Law student (25) granted bail and man (40) charged over car bomb seized in Co Monaghan
First report of the car bomb seizure near the Border and subsequent charges; Perrie Sullivan granted bail at Trim District Court with strict conditions, and a second suspect due before the Special Criminal Court.
accused, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Isobella Perrie Sullivanaccused, 40s, male - 25 Jul2026DUP leader questions Irish court’s decision to grant bail in Carrickmacross case
Reports the bail hearing at Trim District Court, the bail conditions imposed, and the DUP leader's public criticism of the bail decision. Also notes a second suspect, a man in his 40s, remains in custody in the Dublin area.
accused, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Isobella Perrie Sullivansuspect, 40s, male - 25 Jul202625/07/2026 Update (3) Court Appearance- Operation Targeting Dissident Republican Activity - N2, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, 22nd July 2026
Confirms the man in his 40s has been charged and is due before the Special Criminal Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice on 25 July 2026 at 9:00pm; identifies the operation as targeting dissident republican activity.
accused, 40s, male - 24 Jul2026'Extremely significant' bomb in transit intercepted near border
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed the seizure was an 'extremely significant' explosive device and described the ongoing threat from dissident republicans. Legal textbooks were found in the law student's vehicle. The Irish Defence Forces EOD team examined the vehicle, with the outcome not released for operational reasons. Both suspects are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939.
suspect, 20s, femalesuspect, 40s, male - 24 Jul202624/07/2026 Update (1) Court Appearance- Operation Targeting Dissident Republican Activity - N2, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, 22nd July 2026
Garda press release confirming the female has been charged and is due before a Special Sitting of Trim District Court on 24 July 2026 at 7:00pm, and the male remains detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region.
suspect, 20s, femalesuspect, 40s, male