June 6, 2003 Six acquitted of C-IRA membership
Six Limerick men have been acquitted of charges of membership of the Continuity IRA

A seventh man, 54-year-old Patrick O'Shea, also from Limerick, was convicted of the offence. He will be sentenced tomorrow morning.

The trial, which lasted 48 days, was the longest in recent years in the Special Criminal Court.

The seven men were arrested after a garda surveillance operation of suspected dissident Republicans in the Limerick area.

Armed Gardaí raided a house in Shanabooley Road in Ballynanty in Limerick in December 2001, where the men were arrested. Gardaí believed a Continuity IRA meeting was taking place and that the group had firearms.

In the front room a note was found which had references to firearms, a kneecap job and a safe house. However no arms were found.

In their evidence, each of the men denied membership of an unlawful organisation and said that on the night of the their arrests, they had been attending an informal meeting of Republican Sinn Fein.

Family and supporters, including Republican Sinn Fein President, Ruairi O'Bradaigh, greeted the six men who walked free from the Special Criminal Court.

The trial is estimated to have cost €3m and involved 15 barristers.