Ireland Case No. 2099Membership of an illegal organisation · Co. Cork · 10 Mar 2025
Two men released without charge in Cork illegal organisation probe
On 10 March 2025, armed gardaí arrested two men aged 46 and 42 near a forest at Coombe between Glenville and Carrignavar, about 22km from Cork city, as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. Gardaí believe the men were linked to the Real IRA and were preparing an arms dump in the woodland, where officers found a purpose-built bunker or camouflaged dugout. Follow-up searches were carried out at eight domestic residences across Cork City on 11 March, and items of evidential value were recovered. The men were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 and released without charge on 12 March, with a file to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested11 Mar
8 reports - Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two men aged 46 and 42 were arrested on suspicion of being members of an illegal organisation as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity in County Cork.
- Gardaí believe the men were linked to the Real IRA and were preparing an arms dump in the woodland, where armed officers found a purpose-built bunker or camouflaged dugout.
- Where
- The arrests took place near the forest at Coombe between Glenville and Carrignavar, about 22km from Cork city.
- When
- The operation took place on 10 and 11 March 2025, with the arrests made after 11pm on Monday 10 March.
- Investigation
- Follow-up searches were carried out at eight domestic residences across Cork City on 11 March, and items of evidential value were recovered.
- Both men were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 at Gurranebraher and Mayfield Garda stations.
- The operation involved more than 50 officers supported by Crime Special Branch, the Special Detective Unit, the Armed Support Unit, the Garda Dog Unit and the Garda Air Support Unit.
- Charges
- The men were arrested on suspicion of being members of an illegal organisation.
- Sentence
- The two men were released without charge on 12 March 2025, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Other details
- Gardaí suspect the Real IRA has around 30 members in the greater Cork area and is the dominant dissident republican grouping in the city and county.
85 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo males aged in their 40s were arrested as part of the Dissident Republican Activity investigation (garda.ie)
- whatThe two men were released without charge (garda.ie)
- whatTwo males aged in their 40s were arrested as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. (garda.ie)
- whatOn 10 March 2025 a vehicle was stopped during the operation and one male was arrested. (garda.ie)
- whatAn area of forest and adjoining lands was searched and the second male was stopped and arrested there. (garda.ie)
- whatOn 11 March 2025 follow-up searches were carried out at eight domestic residences across Cork City. (garda.ie)
- whatTwo men in their 40s are being questioned by gardaí in Cork following an investigation into dissident republicans. (rte.ie)
- whatGardaí arrested two men as searches were carried out in countryside near Cork city. (thejournal.ie)
- whatGardaí foiled what they believe was an attempt to prepare an arms dump in a remote forest in north Cork (irishtimes.com)
- whatOne man was arrested by armed members of the Special Detective Unit backed up by the Armed Support Unit after he tried to flee across fields (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí believe the unit was preparing an arms dump in the remote forest to store weapons (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo men were arrested in Cork as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatArmed gardaí found suspected Cork Real IRA members meeting at a purpose-built bunker or camouflaged dugout in a large woodland. (thejournal.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested in Cork. (thejournal.ie)
- whatTwo men aged 46 and 42 were arrested near a forest at Coombe between Glenville and Carrignavar, about 22km from Cork city, after 11pm on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe first man was arrested by armed members of the Special Detective Unit backed up by the Armed Support Unit after he tried to flee across fields. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe second suspect was stopped in a car one kilometre away on the Glenville to Whitechurch Road. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí released both men late on Wednesday night without charge and will prepare a file for the DPP. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShots were fired at a man in his 40s near his home in Ballyvolane in September 2018 and November 2019. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds in the November 2019 incident. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe operation targeted Dissident Republican Activity in County Cork (garda.ie)
- whereThe two men were arrested on the road between Glenville and Whitechurch. (rte.ie)
- whereOne man was arrested in a car and the second was arrested on the roadside about a kilometre away. (rte.ie)
- whereThe operation took place in the Carrignavar area, north of Cork city. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe two men were arrested near the forest at Coombe between Glenville and Carrignavar (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe other man was stopped in a vehicle a kilometre away on the Glenville to Whitechurch Road (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe first man was arrested when a vehicle was stopped during the operation. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe second man was arrested at an area of forest and adjoining lands during a follow-up search. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereFollow-up searches were carried out at eight domestic residences across Cork city on Tuesday. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereGardaí in Cork received information that the group were meeting at a site in a woodland in Carrignavar. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe men were taken to Gurranebraher and Mayfield Garda stations. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe operation took place on 10th and 11th March 2025 (garda.ie)
- whenThe operation began the evening before the article was published. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe arrests took place some time after 11pm on Monday night 10 March 2025 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe operation took place on Monday evening, 10 March 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe group was spotted approaching the site early in the morning. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationA file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationThe two men are detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 in Garda Stations in Cork City. (garda.ie)
- investigationItems of evidential value were recovered across the searches and operational activity. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe operation was supported by Crime Special Branch, Cork City and Regional Units including the Regional Armed Support Unit. (garda.ie)
- investigationOn 11 March the operation was further supported by the Special Detective Unit, Garda Dog Unit and Garda Air Support Unit. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí from the Special Detective Unit made the arrests, backed up by the Armed Support Unit. (rte.ie)
- investigationBoth men have been detained under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí have been searching woods in connection with the arrests. (rte.ie)
- investigationFollow-up searches were carried out at eight domestic residences across Cork city. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí say their investigations are continuing. (rte.ie)
- investigationOne theory being explored by gardaí is that the men are linked to the Real IRA. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe operation involved gardaí from the Crime Special Branch in Cork and was backed up by the Armed Support Unit. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe second man was stopped and arrested after a follow-up search of a forest area. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationFollow-up searches were carried out at 8 domestic residences across Cork City. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe men have been detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and can be held for up to three days. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí in Cork were continuing to question two men about Real IRA activities on Tuesday evening 11 March 2025 (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe men are detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act which allows up to 48 hours of detention (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí carried out follow-up searches of eight houses in areas of Cork city on Tuesday and seized vehicles for technical examination (irishtimes.com)
- investigationMore than 50 plainclothes and uniformed officers were involved in the operation (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGarda search teams and technical experts were continuing to comb the forest near where the men were arrested (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe searches were supported by the Special Detective Unit, Garda Dog Unit and Garda Air Support Unit. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationBoth men are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 in Garda Stations in Cork City. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí confirmed that investigations are ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí believe items of evidential value were found in the bunker, though guns were initially thought to be present. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationSources say gardaí expect further arrests and carried out searches. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe men were held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows gardaí to detain suspects for up to 48 hours. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationOn Tuesday, detectives raided about eight houses in the Rathcooney, Ballyvolane, Mayfield, Blackpool, Knocknaheeney and Curraheen areas of Cork City. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA number of vehicles were seized for technical examination. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe men were arrested on suspicion of being members of an illegal organisation (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe two men are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe two men were arrested on suspicion of being members of an illegal organisation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe men can be held for up to 48 hours. (rte.ie)
- otherA garda statement confirmed the operation and the arrest of the two men. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí believe the operation has dealt a significant blow to the activities of the Real IRA in Cork (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí suspect the Real IRA has more than 30 members around Cork city and is the dominant dissident republican grouping in the city and county (irishtimes.com)
- otherA senior New IRA figure arrested in 2020 is contesting his extradition to Northern Ireland on IRA membership and terrorist charges following an MI5 sting operation (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe two men are aged in their 40s. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOne of those arrested is suspected to be a leading member of the gang. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe leading member was found emerging from over a ditch and is believed to have resisted arrest. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe arrested leading member was treated in hospital for injuries sustained when he fought with gardaí. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí are suspected of believing the gang forces drug dealers in Cork to pay protection money. (thejournal.ie)
- otherSources say the gang has been involved in at least two murders of drug dealers who refused to pay extortion money. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí suspect the Real IRA has around 30 members in the greater Cork area. (irishtimes.com)
- otherInvestigators believe the Real IRA unit was preparing an arms hide in the forest but had yet to move the weapons there. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Real IRA in Cork has issued warnings to drug dealers to desist from drug dealing. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe Real IRA claimed responsibility for the murder of Darren Falsey (26) in Carrigaline in August 2011. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí believe the Real IRA is making threats with a view to extorting money from drug dealers. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí believe O'Driscoll was shot dead by his former associates near Blackpool in December 2016. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 13 Mar2025Gardaí release two men arrested as part of inquiry into Real IRA in Cork
Details of the arrests, the forest search, the house raids, and background on the Real IRA's history of threats and claimed murders in Cork.
suspect, 46, malesuspect, 42, male - 12 Mar2025Gardaí arrest leading member of Real IRA gang and discover group gathering near woodland dugout
Reports the arrests in detail, including that armed gardaí found suspected Real IRA members meeting at a woodland dugout in Carrignavar, and sets out the gang's suspected extortion and murders.
suspect, malesuspect, male - 12 Mar2025Two men arrested in Cork as part of probe into dissident republican activity
Provides operational detail of the arrests: the first man was stopped in a vehicle on Monday evening, the second at a forest area; eight domestic residences were searched on Tuesday with support from the Special Detective Unit, Garda Dog Unit and Garda Air Support Unit; items of evidential value were recovered; both men are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 in Cork City Garda stations.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 11 Mar2025Gardaí continue to question two men (40s) as part of inquiry into Real IRA activities
Provides details of the ongoing questioning on 11 March, the operation involving more than 50 officers, follow-up searches of eight houses, vehicle seizures, and context about the Real IRA in Cork including the 2016 murder of Aidan O'Driscoll and the New IRA's failed presence in the city.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 11 Mar2025Gardaí arrest two men in Cork during major operation targeting 'dissidents'
Adds that the men were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, that gardaí are exploring a Real IRA link, that the operation was run by Crime Special Branch with the Armed Support Unit, and that follow-up searches were carried out at 8 residences in Cork City.
suspectsuspect - 11 Mar2025Two men arrested in dissident republican probe in Cork
Reports two men arrested on the road between Glenville and Whitechurch, with follow-up searches at eight residences. Does not mention the woodland dugout, Carrignavar, or the Real IRA, so it is not matched to existing case 14256.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 11 Mar2025Garda Operation targeting Dissident Republican Activity, County Cork 10th and 11th March 2025
Initial Garda press release describing the arrests, vehicle stop, forest search and eight residential searches; case 2099 covers the subsequent release without charge on 12 March.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 11 Mar2025Update - Garda Operation targeting Dissident Republican Activity, County Cork 10th and 11th March 2025
Confirms the two men have been released without charge, a file is being prepared for the DPP, and investigations remain ongoing.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male