C-IRA accused claim camp was for deer stalking
A group of men charged in connection with a suspected Continuity IRA training camp were deer stalking in preparation for the new hunting season, a court was told today.
One of the eight men said they had to wear balaclavas so that the animals would not see their faces.
Joseph Mooney said: “Yes, we were going deer stalking. You can’t go out without a balaclava.”
The men were arrested after gardaí discovered a suspected republican training camp in a wooded area of Ballymacarberry, Co Waterford, last Sunday.
Six were charged with IRA membership and two with possession of firearms.
The Special Criminal Court was told today that officers found an area of the woods that had been cut down.
Paper targets had been attached to a road sign and used for shooting exercises.
Gardaí said target practice had been under way for about two hours when it was intercepted.
Items including camouflage clothing, balaclavas and firearms were found at the scene.
Judge O’Hagan rejected the suggestion that the men were training for the deer hunting season.
He said the court was satisfied a training facility had been found and that one of the accused had even admitted it was a training camp.
Patrick Deery, 52, of Stradbelly, Co Waterford; Joseph Mooney, 35, of Ozzier Court, Co Waterford; John O’Halloran, 33, of Limerick, Mark McMahon, 35, of Wexford; Patrick Kelly, 36, of Wexford and Brian Galvin, 37, of Ballybeg, Co Waterford, are all charged with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself as the IRA.
Michael Leahy, 22, of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, and Thomas Barry, 20, of Lisduggan, Co Waterford, are both charged with possession of firearms.
They were all refused bail and were remanded in custody to appear at the same court again on October 7.
