Sinn Fein Killer is Mayor

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell claims Sinn Féin has caused "anger and outrage" by appointing people convicted of terrorist-related activities in prominent local government posts.




Mr Campbell spoke following the appointment of former IRA prisoner Sean McGlinchey to Mayor of Limavady Borough Council.



Mr McGlinchey, from Dungiven, served 18 years for murder of six people in a car bomb in Coleraine in 1973.



His brother, former INLA member Dominic McGlinchey was murdered in Drogheda in 1994.


At Magherafelt District Council, Sinn Féin's Ian Milne has been appointed Chairman for a second time.



Milne, from Bellaghy, escaped from Portlaoise Prison along with 18 other inmates in 1974, and three years later formed part of the Blanket Protest in Long Kesh.



Mr Campbell called the appointments "reprehensible".



They follow the controversial appointment of Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilín's adviser Mary McArdle, who was convicted for her part in the murder of Mary Travers in 1984.



Mr Campbell said little can be done to prevent those chosen by the party.



"Even if we could it would be difficult to make a choice between a murderer and a bomber.



"It is nonetheless an indication of Sinn Féin's thinking at this stage of the political process."



He claimed the party still has "some considerable way to go in understanding the anger and outrage they have caused in the wider community".



"This current batch of announcements reinforces the need to demonstrate again and again that as Sinn Féin try to mix present democratic participation with past terror we will expose that blatant hypocrisy for what it is."



Last week, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said former prisoners are "entitled to employment rights".



"Almost half our Assembly team are former political prisoners", he said.



"Many more ex-prisoners have played critical and positive roles in bringing the political process to where it is now and will continue to do so."

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Kings of Leon Slane Concert

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Kings of Leon Slane Concert: "No fuss, no bother, and – unless Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, who travelled to Slane to see Thin Lizzy, counts - no celebs to mention. ..."

Kings of Leon Slane Concert

No fuss, no bother, and – unless Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, who travelled to Slane to see Thin Lizzy, counts - no celebs to mention.




This was Slane 30 years on: despite the much trumpeted 30-year anniversary, the event seemed, at least to Slane Castle owner, Lord Henry Mountcharles (who celebrated his 60th birthday this week), somewhat of a more personal affair. As he watched a regrouped Thin Lizzy perform, a friend presented him with a birthday gift, and as Whiskey in the Jar was played he just couldn’t resist engaging in a bit of a jig.



It wasn't all jigs and reels, however. Due to the tragic death of Cleo Followill, uncle to Kings of Leon brothers Nathan, Jared and Caleb, there was, inevitably, less of a sense of excitement at the band’s debut appearance at Slane. Guitarist Nathan tweeted on Friday, “Just lost my uncle Cleo. My tears could fill the Mississippi right now. I’m an absolute mess. Thank you all for being nice. This is a tough time.”



The band arrived in Dublin on Wednesday, earlier than planned, in order to avoid any potential travel issues with Icelandic ash clouds. They stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel, and on Friday had a private, intimate party at one of Dublin’s most exclusive restaurants Guilbaud’s.



There may not have been food of the quality (or, indeed, price) of Guilbaud’s at Slane Castle on Saturday, but there were enough food outlets to keep the 80,000 capacity crowd satisfied. In the VIP area, outlets such as Eddie Rockets, Saba and Pieminister tended to the somewhat more rarified requirements of a gathering that lacked any kind of celeb quotient.



Out in the field, the music was slow to engage the crowd. By the time Thin Lizzy came on stage, the venue was almost full, and as the reconstituted band played hits such as Are You Ready to Rock, Waiting for an Alibi, Jailbreak, Don’t Believe a Word, Whiskey in the Jar and Emerald, you could sense the crowd shifting from first into fourth gear.



Elbow’s quite considered music, by comparison, failed to enthrall with the crowd – their gig was most definitely a case of great band, brilliant music, wrong venue. At 8.40pm, with rain only threatening, Kings of Leon took over the reins and played into the willing, open hands of a partisan fan base. Most of the set – which singer Caleb Folowill stated was their longest ever – was culled from the band’s two most recent multi-million selling albums Only by the Night and Come Around Sundown.



For fans returning home, the problems of the previous Slane Castle concert (Oasis, 2009) were alleviated by a new traffic plan that gave buses priority over cars. In the VIP car park, however, there were delays of up to two hours in getting out of the car park and getting onto the Navan road.

Gardai paid 1 Billion on top of Salaries

ALMOST €1 BILLION has been paid in allowances to Garda members since 2007, according to figures provided by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to the Dáil.




Some 46 different allowances are payable to gardaí across 94 different categories, and the sums involved have hardly dropped despite talks about cost-cutting involving the Department of Finance and trade unions.



Many of the allowances available can be used by officers towards calculating their pension and others are exempt from tax.



The list supplied by the Minister to Labour TD Seán Kenny includes a boot allowance, uniform allowance, plain clothes allowance and bike allowance. Allowances are also available for working as a dog handler, on the Aran Islands and in the Gaeltacht.



Gardaí receive allowances for being rostered at night or on a Saturday and for being “non-rostered” at these times.



The amount paid in allowances was €928 million since the start of 2007. The figure for the first four months of this year was €73 million. Last year, it was almost €215 million and for 2009, €225 million. This compares to €215 million in 2008 and €200 million in 2007.



The McCarthy report said a “liberal” system of Garda allowances was not in the public interest and claimed a review of pay and other income could achieve savings of €50 million “as a minimum”.



The most expensive single category is the rent allowance, which cost the exchequer €58.9 million in 2008. Each officer up to and including the chief superintendent receives the pensionable €4,017.55 a year payment. Night duty and Sunday allowances are also pensionable.



All members are paid the €2.93 per week boot allowance towards the maintenance of their footwear. Footwear is provided to Garda members. The uniform allowance varies from €4.39 a week for sergeants to €888.82 a year for officers.



Garda dog handlers qualify for a €53.40-a-week allowance, while officers who use bicycles in their work get an extra €2.77 each week. Detectives and juvenile liaison officers receive €30.90 per week to cover out-of-pocket expenses. The payment is not taxable and does not contribute to pensionable pay.



Superintendents and chief superintendents are paid €8,049 and €10,121 respectively for being available outside normal office hours. Members who work in the Gaeltacht and have adequate Irish are paid an additional 7.5 per cent of salary. Crime scene examiners are paid €2,946.90 per year. This payment is intended to compensate for the loss of unsocial hours allowances because crime scenes have to be examined in daylight.



Separately, the Minister told Mr Kenny that the Garda spent €9.7 million on uniforms in 2009 but only €595,000 last year.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Kings of Leon Slane Concert

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Kings of Leon Slane Concert: "Lord Henry Mountcharles will today welcome four kings to Slane Castle to mark the 30th anniversary of the first rock concert on the grounds..."

Kings of Leon Slane Concert

Lord Henry Mountcharles will today welcome four kings to Slane Castle to mark the 30th anniversary of the first rock concert on the grounds of his Co Meath estate.




US group Kings of Leon are scheduled to perform to a crowd of up to 80,000 people at the venue on the banks of the river Boyne tonight.



Support will come from Elbow, Mona, White Lies and The Whigs as well as a rejigged Thin Lizzy line-up which still features guitarist Scott Gorham, who joined the late Phil Lynott on the Slane Castle stage to headline the inaugural concert back in 1981.



Gates open at 1pm and the first act is scheduled to take to the stage about half an hour later. Tickets, priced €85, were still on sale yesterday afternoon.



The organisers have put in place new measures to address problems at the last Slane Castle gig in 2009, headlined by Oasis.



At the time, some of those who attended complained about overcrowding at the Dublin gate end, with ticket-scanning suspended for a period due to lengthy queues. There were problems afterwards, with many complaining they had to wait for hours to get Dublin Bus transport.



This year, the Dublin entrance to the estate area has been widened to allow for ticket-scanning and the opening of a new emergency access route.



For those leaving by public transport, a loop system has been put in place with buses arriving via the N2 and returning via Donore and the M1 motorway. Private coaches will leave via the N2. Dublin Bus services depart from the Rotunda side of Parnell Square every 20 minutes from noon to 5pm. Return tickets can be bought on the day and cost €25.



Car parks open at noon and are located a 20 or 30-minute walk from the venue. Met Éireann said today would be mostly dry with some good sunny spells but warned of occasional showers. High temperatures of 12-14 degrees are forecast.



Elsewhere, the Life Festival continues at Belvedere House near Mullingar in Co Westmeath. Jeff Mills and John Digweed are among the acts at the electronic and dance music festival which kicked off yesterday evening and continues until tomorrow.



The Dublin City Soul Festival takes place this weekend. Highlights include a soul jam in the Workman’s Club on Wellington Quay tonight and a soul picnic in Merrion Square tomorrow afternoon.



All eyes will be on Thomond Park in Limerick as Irish rugby heavyweights Munster and Leinster square off in the Magners League final. The game kicks off at 5.05pm today.

Drugs Navan Meath

Three men were arrested after a 30 kilo haul of cocaine and heroin was found in an apartment complex.




The men, aged 31, 34 and 36, were held after a raid on the block in Navan, Co Meath last night.



Twenty-two kilos of cocaine were found in the underground car park of the flats before follow-up searches found another seven kilos of the drug and one kilo of heroin in an apartment.



The haul has an estimated street value of €2m and €50,000 cash was also found.



The intelligence-led raids were carried out by the drugs squad, customs and local officers from Kildare and Meath.



The three suspects were being held under drug trafficking laws at Kells and Finglas Garda stations.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Rosanna Davidson Ryanair

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Rosanna Davidson Ryanair: "Former Miss World Rosanna Davison suing no-frills carrier Ryanair for defamation has been awarded €80,000 after winning her case. A j..."

Rosanna Davidson Ryanair

Former Miss World Rosanna Davison suing no-frills carrier Ryanair for defamation has been awarded €80,000 after winning her case.




A jury ruled a press release by the airline implied the model, daughter of singer Chris de Burgh, was racist, xenophobic, jealous and narrow-minded.



After less than three hours of deliberations at the High Court in Dublin the jury found she had been defamed by the Ryanair.



The case centred on a press release posted on Ryanair’s website on November 11th 2008 in response to remarks Miss Davison made the previous day in a newspaper.



The model had been asked by a journalist about what she thought of the lack of any Irish women in Ryanair’s 2009 charity calendar, which featured bikini clad cabin crew.



Miss Davison said she was correctly quoted the next day as saying: “If I was (organising) it, I would have made sure that Irish women were involved because it’s an Irish charity and Irish fundraising.”



The following day the airline issued its press release which stated Ryanair “today hit back at comments made by Irish glamour model Rosanna Davison in relation to the absence of Irish cabin crew from Ryanair’s 2009 charity calendar which ‘bordered on racism and demonstrated an elitist attitude against Ryanair’s international cabin crew’.”



Miss Davison (27) of Cornelscourt, Dublin, claimed the release defamed her in that, she alleges, it meant she was racist, xenophobic and jealous.



Ryanair denied defamation and maintained it stated her comments bordered on racism and not that she was racist.



Dressed in a knee length black dress, fitted black jacket and black steel toe encrusted Christian Louboutin shoes, Miss Davison sat alone at the back of the packed courtroom as the verdict was returned.



Crowned Miss World in 2003, Miss Davison completed an honours degree in Sociology and History of Art at University College Dublin in 2006 and did a diploma in PR and Event Management. She is also a newspaper columnist.



The jury of eight men and four women awarded Miss Davison €40,000 for compensatory damages and €40,000 for aggravated damages.



The case will be mentioned again next week when Ryanair is expected to ask for a stay on the payment.



Mr Justice Eamon de Valera had earlier told the jury any award of damages should be appropriate and not unnecessarily extravagant.

Kings of Leon Slane Travel Tickets

SLANE TRAVEL - BUS INFORMATION


1. Marathon Travel - Bus service from Dublin to Slane

Pick up points: Stillorgan Flyover, UCD, Georges Quay & Hueston Station.

2. Coaches to Concerts - Bus Service from Belfast to Slane

Pick up points: Days Hotel, Belfast, 10.30am

3. Kelly Travel - Busses from Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway

Pick up points: Please visit website


Kings of Leon are delighted to confirm Elbow, Thin Lizzy, White Lies, Mona and The Whigs will complete the full days line-up at this years 30th Anniversary sold out Slane Castle concert on Saturday 28th May 2011.


Having sold every ticket in under 40 minutes Kings of Leon’s triumphant return to Ireland to headline the 30th Anniversary of Slane is only fitting, evoking 30 years of legendary performances. “Come Around Sundown”, the bands fifth studio album, has sold over 6 million copies worldwide as well as breaking the record for biggest first week digital album sales with over 49,000 album downloads.

Garda Convicted

A garda who got into a row in Cork city while off-duty and knocked a man unconscious has been jailed for six months for assault.




Dean Foley (25), who was stationed in Bantry at the time, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Stephen Murphy at Grand Parade in Cork on September 12th, 2009.



The case against Foley - who is currently suspended from An Garda Siochana - is the first to be investigated by the Garda Ombudsman Commission to result in a custodial sentence.



Mr Murphy suffered a broken nose, fractures to his cheekbones, broken teeth and bleeding to the brain in the late night assault which happened after an exchange of words.



Foley, with an address at Tradean, Knocknasuff, Blarney, Co Cork broke down in the witness box at Cork Circuit Criminal Court as he spoke of his remorse for the assault.



He said that one moment of madness had cost him his career and he deeply regretted his actions and the injuries he caused Mr Murphy, who was 29 at the time.



The court heard that Foley had sold his car and his motorbike and borrowed extensively to come up with a substantial sum of compensation to offer to Mr Murphy.



Foley had been with his brother, Travis when words were exchanged with Mr Murphy, who was intoxicated at the time. A row broke out and this escalated into an assault.



Foley was stopped by gardai that night and made a cautioned statement admitting throwing a punch but he had no idea that Mr Murphy was so seriously injured, the court heard.



Mr Murphy wrote to the court and said he had no wish to see Foley go to jail but he was happy to leave the penalty up to the court.



Foley's brother Travis has already pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault and is due for sentence in relation to the offence on June 27th.



Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin noted Foley's guilty plea and his offer of substantial compensation but he said that he could not ignore the injuries suffered by Mr Murphy.



Mr Murphy was very intoxicated at the time and it was not a contest of equals, he said as he sentenced Dean Foley to 18 months in jail. The final 12 months were suspended.

Sex Crime Dentist Convicted

Dentist Colin Howell has been given a five-and-a-half-year jail term for indecently assaulting five of his female patients while they were under sedation.




The former lay preacher, who is already serving 21 years for murdering his wife and his ex-lover’s husband, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of taking advantage of the sedated women over a period of four years.



He groped and fondled some as he helped them down the stairs of his practice in Ballymoney, Co Antrim while he placed the hand of another on his groin while she lay unconscious on the chair.



A number had asked to been heavily sedated because they had a serious phobia about dental treatments.



Sentencing at Antrim Crown Court, Judge Corine Philpott said he abused his position of trust. “You are an intelligent man and you had the means to stop yourself from doing this,” she told the 52-year-old as he stood before her in the dock.



She noted that some of his victims did not even know what had happened to them. "These injured parties did not know what was going on, they did not know precisely what happened, but you did,” she told him.



Last year the dentist was sentenced to life in prison, with a 21-year minimum term, after confessing to murdering his wife Lesley and Trevor Buchanan, the policeman husband of his then lover Hazel Stewart, in Coleraine in May 1991.



Stewart (48), was also convicted of the double murder, which police believed for 19 years was suicide, after standing trial earlier this year. She is serving an 18-year minimum life term.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Obama Ireland

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Obama Ireland: "President Barack Obama said Ireland and the US are bound by “history, affection and bonds of friendship'. Addressing a crowd of approx..."

Enda Kenny Obama Dublin Ireland

Enda Kenny all texted up but did not plagarise Obama speech.The Government has denied Taoiseach Enda Kenny plagiarised elements of Barack Obama’s famous victory speech as he introduced the US president to tens of thousands of people in Dublin.




Mr Kenny’s rousing address in College Green last night sparked applause and cheers from the crowd but one sentence drew striking similarities to Mr Obama’s 2008 speech at Grant Park in Chicago.



A Government spokeswoman said Mr Kenny merely echoed the sentiments expressed in the now world-famous speech to make it relevant for an Irish audience.



“I think what the Taoiseach was doing was drawing on a very well-known speech by Barack Obama and just putting it into an Irish context and an Irish setting,” she said. “There was no plagiarism, he was just drawing on it.”



Mr Kenny’s address was peppered by spontaneous applause from an emotional crowd when he talked of how the president had come home to Ireland and the strong ties between the two countries.



Mr Obama and his wife Michelle warmly applauded the seven-minute speech, which included the a remarkably similar introduction to the inspirational one that Mr Obama himself used on the momentous November night three years ago. There were also a number of strikingly familiar passages throughout Mr Kenny's speech.



Mr Kenny said last night: “If there’s anyone out there who still doubts that Ireland is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our ancestors is alive in our time; who still questions our capacity to restore ourselves, to reinvent ourselves and to prosper, well today is your answer.”



Mr Obama in 2008 said: “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”



Mr Kenny’s rousingly delivered introduction also referred to Mr Obama’s Irish ancestry and drew on the Queen’s historic state visit to Ireland last week.

Obama Ireland

President Barack Obama said Ireland and the US are bound by “history, affection and bonds of friendship".




Addressing a crowd of approximately 28,000 people at College Green in Dublin this evening, Mr Obama said never has a nation so small inspired so much in another.



"Irish blood is spilled on our battlefields...Irish sweat built our cities...there's always been a little green behind the red, white and blue."



"An American does not require Irish blood because the two countries are bound by history, affection and bonds of friendship."



To rousing cheers he introduced himself as: “Barack Obama, of the Moneygall O’Bamas. I am here to find the apostrophe that we lost along the way”.



He also paid tribute to former taoiseach Dr Garret Fitzgerald, who died last week.



On the current economic crisis facing the country, Mr Obama said Ireland had faced trials before which it had endured and overcome. "We're people, the Irish and the Americans, who never stop imagining a brighter future."



"This little country that inspires such great things...your best days are still ahead...If anyone tells you otherwises, remember the simple mantra, Is féidir linn. Yes we can," the US president said in conclusion.



The speech was the final official engagement of his visit to Ireland and the president is expected to cut short his visit and depart from Dublin airport this evening.



The early departure is based on fears that an ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland may force the closure of Irish air space tomorrow and effectively trap him here.



Earlier, the president travelled to Moneygall, Co Offaly by helicopter with his wife Michelle where they were greeted by Mr Obama's cousin Henry Healy and spent about 20 minutes meeting people in the village before visiting his ancestral home.



They then spoke to locals over pints of Guinness in Ollie Hayes' Bar. Mr Obama said "sláinte" before taking a healthy gulp of his drink and insisted that he "always pays his bar tab".



The Obamas spent a few more minutes greeting the crowd gathered in Moneygall before leaving the village shortly before 4.30pm.



Following a meeting earlier today with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Farmleigh Mr Obama said the bond between the United States and Ireland is not just one of trade and commerce, but carries a “blood lineage”.



The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including the EU-IMF bailout, the banking situation and unemployment.



They also discussed the peace process in Northern Ireland and the consequences of Queen Elizabeth II's visit here last week.



Mr Obama and his wife Michelle arrived in Dublin this morning shortly before 9.30am at Dublin airport and were transferred to the Phoenix Park by helicopter, where they met President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin.



Mr Obama then travelled to Farmleigh for a meeting with the Taoiseach. Mr Kenny said the two leaders had discussed issues such as the use of Shannon airport by the US and the role of Irish peacekeepers in Afghanistan.



Speaking after the 40-minute meeting, Mr Obama said he was “extraordinarily grateful” for the welcome he and his wife had received from the Taoiseach and the Irish people. He said the friendship and bond between the United States and Ireland “could not be stronger”.



"Obviously it is not just a matter of strategic interests. It's not just a matter of foreign policy, for the United States and Ireland carries a blood lineage," he said. "For millions of Irish-Americans this continues to symbolise the homeland and the extraordinary traditions of an extraordinary people."



Mr Obama said the US wanted to help strengthen the bonds of trade and commerce between the two countries, and to do everything it could to help Ireland on the path to recovery. “Ireland is a small country but punches above its weight on a range of issues,” he said.



On progress in Northern Ireland, Mr Obama said it spoke “to the possibilities of peace and people in longstanding struggles being able to reimagine their relationships”.



He noted the “mutual warmth and healing” that accompanied the visit of the Queen here last week, which sent a signal not just here in Ireland but around the world, he said. “It sends what Bobby Kennedy once called a ripple of hope.”



Mr Obama paid tribute to all those who had “worked tirelessly” to bring about peace in Northern Ireland. The president said he was proud of the part that America had played in getting both sides to talk and to provide a space for that conversation to take place.



Mr Obama is the sixth US president to make an official visit to Ireland during his period of office, beginning with John F Kennedy in June 1963. Richard Nixon visited in 1970, Ronald Reagan came in 1984, Bill Clinton was here three times between 1995 and 2000 and George W Bush visited in 2006.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Obama Ireland Visit Offally Dublin

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Obama Ireland Visit Offally Dublin: "Tight security and traffic restrictions are in place ahead of the visit of US president Barack Obama tomorrow. Mr Obama is expected to ..."

Obama Ireland Visit Offally Dublin

Tight security and traffic restrictions are in place ahead of the visit of US president Barack Obama tomorrow.




Mr Obama is expected to visit his ancestral home in the village of Moneygall, Co Offaly in the afternoon before speaking at an open air rally and concert at College Green, in Dublin in the evening.



Access will not be restricted to the free concert and presidential address but those attending will be screened.



Mr Obama will speak at the same location where former president Bill Clinton addressed a crowd during his visit in 1995.



The speech will follow a whistle-stop trip to Moneygall where up to 2,000 people are expected to pack into the village for his 45-minute drop-in.



Unlike the Queen’s tour, which concluded on Friday, this is not a State visit and therefore will not carry the same degree of ceremony.



Mr Obama will be the sixth US presidential visit to Ireland. The first was made by John F Kennedy in 1963.



At the start of the visit, Mr Obama and the First Lady will call on President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin.



They will sign the visitor’s book and there will be a tree planting ceremony. Two children will ring the Peace Bell and greet Mr Obama and his wife Michelle.



The meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala will take place at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park.



The Taoiseach and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will meet the Mr Obama Farmleigh. to discuss economic matters; the Northern Ireland peace process and co-operation between the two countries on food security.



Mr Obama will then be taken by helicopter to Moneygall. His great-great-great-great-grandfather was a shoemaker in Moneygall and his son, Falmouth Kearney, left for New York in 1850.



Residents queued for up to six hours on Thursday to secure a ticket to see his homecoming. It will involve a trip down Main Street to the Kearney ancestral home, where he will be greeted by John Donovan, the owner of the house, and his family.



Mr Obama will then visit Ollie Hayes’ pub to meet extended family members including representatives of the Healy, Donovan and Benn families.



On his return to Dublin, Mr Obama will make an open air address at College Greenat the end of entertainment involving many well-known Irish artists. Security gates will open at 2pm.



Large screens will be in place on College Green to enable all present to see those on stage. Mr Obama will fly out of Dublin on Tuesday to start a state visit to the UK.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: President Obama Dublin

THE IRISH OBSERVER: President Obama Dublin: "WESTLIFE, IMELDA May and Jedward, along with actors Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea and Gabriel Byrne, will warm up the crowd at Monday’s publi..."

President Obama Dublin

WESTLIFE, IMELDA May and Jedward, along with actors Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea and Gabriel Byrne, will warm up the crowd at Monday’s public event for US president Barack Obama at College Green.




Sporting stars Padraig Harrington, Robbie Keane and Brian O’Driscoll are expected to make appearances, as are Sharon Shannon, Mundy, the Coronas, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, soprano Celine Byrne and Co Monaghan songwriter Ryan Sheridan. The event, described by the Government as a “public celebration”, was planned to last 90 minutes, but may be shortened. Some acts may be dropped.



Mr Obama is scheduled to arrive back from his visit to Moneygall, Co Offaly, during the performance, and will be introduced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. He will be accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, but the couple’s children, Malia and Sasha, are not attending as they are in school.



The event is open to the public and is free. Tickets will not be required. People have been advised to go early – security gates open at 2pm, three hours before entertainment starts.



The public should enter the security gates at the intersection of Parliament Street and Dame Street in front of Dublin Castle. They will have to arrive from the west or north as other access routes will be blocked. Adjoining streets will be blocked and car parking severely restricted.



Signs, banners, food and beverages will not be allowed, though cameras and mobile phones will be.



US secretary of state Hillary Clinton is scheduled to meet Mr Obama when he travels on to London on Tuesday.



A US diplomatic source said the visit, which includes his family homestead in Moneygall, was primarily a personal journey: “He knows plenty about his Kenyan side; now he’s anxious to know about the Irish side of his family”.



The visit will cause some air traffic disruption next week, mainly when Mr Obama arrives at Dublin airport on Monday morning and departs on Tuesday morning.



The Irish Aviation Authority said other air traffic would be suspended for about half an hour on each day.



It isn’t clear how many people will attend the College Green event, but the venue was chosen because it could accommodate crowds of varying size. Signposts, street lamps and other street furniture were being removed yesterday for the event.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Garret FitzGerald Dead

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Garret FitzGerald Dead: "Tributes have paid by senior figures in Irish society to former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald who died this morning. Taoiseach Enda Kenny..."

Garret FitzGerald Dead

Tributes have paid by senior figures in Irish society to former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald who died this morning.




Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Dr FitzGerald was "a truly remarkable man who made a truly remarkable contribution to Ireland".



Mr Kenny said the former Fine Gael leader with "his towering intellect and enthusiasm for life" will be missed by everybody.



“He had an eternal optimism for what could be achieved in politics. You could not tire him out and his belief that politics and democracy would work for peace,” said Mr Kenny.



Former taoiseach and Fine Gael leader John Bruton said Dr FitzGerald would "stand out as a man who changed Ireland". He said Dr FitzGerald "changed attitudes" to the Northern question and to Europe and saw that "Ireland could do best in Europe if it contributed creatively to goals and ambitions of other members".



Extending his sympathy to Dr FitzGerald's family, Mr Bruton said: "Ireland , and the world, have lost a great citizen."



Former president Mary Robinson said Dr Fitzgerald was "a moral as well as a political leader of great integrity".



"A deeply spiritual man he lived his values and gave of his time and boundless energies in high political office. Later, he continued as a guide and mentor to this country he loved so much through his writing, broadcasting and public speaking here and around the world."



Mrs Robinson said the former taoiseach had "a great capacity for love and friendship, of his wife Joan and his large immediate family but also of a wide circle of friends, including children who delighted in his company.



"The life of service and scholarship he lived and the way he committed himself to so many activities long past usual retirement age endeared him to Irish people, young and old. Nick and I and our entire family will miss him dearly. May he rest in peace."



Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said Dr FitzGerald was a man "driven to understand, to confront problems with evidence, to weight facts and to reach conclusions".



"A great citizen of our Republic is lost to us. A flame is dimmed. But the example that he offered us, the ideals that he lived by, continue to serve us today, he said.



Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Dr FitzGerald, whom he said had served the Irish people with "great intelligence, decency and commitment".



Mr Martin said Dr FitzGerald had given "distinguished and patriotic service to our people". "Even in recent years, though he had long stepped out of the arena of party politics, Garret took to the campaign trail with vigour and determination to help ensure the passing of EU referenda.



"Though my party did not necessarily agree with Garret on every political issue, I greatly admired his integrity, his abilities and his unfailing politeness and courtesy," added Mr Martin.



Former taoiseach Brian Cowen said expressed his sympathies to the family of Dr. Garret FitzGerald and described him as "a much loved and respected figure in Irish public life".



"He was always gracious, friendly and courteous. In our many conversations over the years, Garret was engaging and affable and could be depended upon to articulate intelligent viewpoints.



"Garret FitzGerald was a person who never sat on the sidelines, and he was always willing to take the risks and sacrifice that go with an active life in politics and decision making in public affairs", Mr Cowen said.



"He was an excellent and decent politician who sought to improve the standing of our country in all that he did."



Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said Dr FitzGerald "was never partisan or tribal". He said he "truly did put people before politics".



"Fine Gael were his party, but he recognised that no group individual had a monopoly of wisdom", he added.



Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn described Dr FitzGerald as "a man of great integrity and powerful intellect".



"Garret was passionate about Europe and Ireland’s place in it, and I worked closely with him on a number of European referenda. He was a great force for modernisation and tolerance in Ireland.



"Nowhere is this clearer than in his role in the peace process in Northern Ireland – probably his finest political achievement. He can be credited with leading Ireland on the path of rapprochement with Britain and truly paving the way for the Anglo Irish Agreement," Mr Quinn added.



Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland , former ministerial colleague Gemma Hussey described Dr Fitzgerald as "a wonderful man and above all, a patriot". She said people on both sides of the Border recognised his "utter integrity and sincerity".



Former EU commissioner and attorney general Peter Sutherland said Dr FitzGerald had an openness to new ideas and relationships that defined his life. "He was a man who will be a giant in the historical recollections of the Irish people for centuries."



Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin offered his sincere sympathies to the family of Dr FitzGerald, describing him as a "unique figure in the political life of this State and of Ireland over many years".



He said that irrespective of the differences he had with Dr FitzGerald over the years, like many other Republicans he would have respected the former taoiseach's integrity.



Green Party leader, John Gormley extended his sympathies. "He will be remembered as a modernising taoiseach, who managed to change the nationalist mindset towards Northern Ireland and integrated Ireland more into the evolving European Union. The Anglo-Irish agreement and his constitutional crusades laid the foundation for a more pluralist and accommodating republic", he said.



Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson , who bitterly opposed the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, led the tributes in Northern Ireland.



Mr Robinson said: “Dr FitzGerald and I disagreed profoundly on many things, especially the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but he never allowed political difference to become a bar to personal relations.”



SDLP president and Nobel Laureate John Hume , a close friend, said Dr FitzGerald was an unswerving supporter of peace and the democratic politics of his party.



He said: “A moderniser and reformer, Garret helped change the face of Irish politics for the better and he enthusiastically embraced Europe and the opportunities it afforded our island.



“He displayed great intellectual foresight and inner fortitude to develop initiatives such as the New Ireland Forum and the Anglo-Irish Agreement which allowed us to open new chapters in our history and ultimately paved the way to peace and the democratic institutions we enjoy today.



“His skills and abilities that marked him out as an outstanding Irish politician of his generation also distinguished him as a journalist and an academic.” Alliance Party leader David Ford said he would be remembered as one of Ireland’s greatest statesmen.



He added: “He was very courageous when he led the Republic of Ireland at a very difficult time.”



Labour Party president Michael D Higgins also extended his sympathies to Dr FitzGerald's family, and to the Fine Gael party.



"Dr Fitzgerald was a firm believer that ethics, honour and honesty should



be at the core of politics and was one of those people in public life, who drove that agenda," he said.



"He brought a rare intellectual rigour to public discourse, and raised the level of political interaction, both here in Ireland and beyond. His passing marks a sad day for this Republic."



The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Seán Brady , extended his "deepest condolences" to Dr FitzGerald's family.



"It is a remarkable coincidence that Dr FitzGerald's death this morning occurred during these historic days for our country which have resulted in no small part from his efforts to promote peace and reconciliation between Ireland and Britain throughout his lifetime."



Describing Dr FitzGerald as "a committed statesman", he said the former taoiseach had "built on the legacy of generous service established by his father Desmond FitzGerald, the first Minister for External Affairs following the independence of this State".



"As a cabinet minister and Taoiseach he was a reforming politician. He will be remembered for a profound commitment to social justice issues and in particular for his support for the New Ireland Forum and the Anglo-Irish Agreement.



"Dr FitzGerald's independence of thought, his services to higher education, and his ongoing efforts to fostering links with Europe are examples of his dedicated and thoughtful service to our country."



The head of the Church of Ireland, Alan Harper , and Dr Michael Jackson , Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, said Dr FitzGerald had a unique and inspirational spirit for public service.



Concern Worldwide chief executive Tom Arnold also extended his condolences to the family and friends of the former taoiseach, describing him as "a true statesman, leader and gentleman".



He said throughout his political career, Dr FitzGerald had remained committed to social justice at national and international level. "He will be sadly missed in Ireland and in many other lands."

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin English Queens Elizabeth and Mary Mc ...

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin English Queens Elizabeth and Mary Mc ...: "Queen Elizabeth II has made a historic trip to Croke Park in Dublin on the second day of her State visit. The British monarch’s visit t..."

Queen Dublin English Queens Elizabeth and Mary Mc Aleese

Queen Elizabeth II has made a historic trip to Croke Park in Dublin on the second day of her State visit.




The British monarch’s visit to the GAA headquarters, the scene of a massacre by British troops of 14 citizens in November 1920 during the War of Independence, is seen as the most controversial leg of her four-day itinerary and as another watershed moment in Anglo-Irish relations.



The visit to the stadium, a site steeped in symbolism for nationalists, was specially requested by the President Mary McAleese during the preparations for the royal visit, as a recognition of the GAA’s special status in Irish society.



As the royal party entered the venue, 34 children dressed in the GAA jerseys of each county, including the colours of New York and London clubs, lined the forecourt.



The Queen and Prince Philip, accompanied by the President and her husband, were greeted and escorted around the stadium by GAA president Christy Cooney and the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan.



The Queen heard about the finer points of hurling and football in the stadium changing rooms where she met players from both codes. She was particularly interested in the shape of the hurley. She asked: “Is it like what they use in (when playing) shinty?” a hockey-like game associated with the Scottish highlands.



The Queen met several senior GAA officials, but a number of others stayed away in protest. Of the nine Ulster counties, just Down was represented.



Inside the stadium, on the Hogan Stand side, the royal pair watched a video on the big screen about the history of the GAA before being treated to a performance of traditional dancing and a selection of tunes by the Artane Band.



At the event, Mr Cooney said: “I was also very heartened by the utter and united determination of people and political leaders across the island, and across the whole community, to stand together against violence and hatred.”



Addressing the Queen, he added: “Your presence does honour to our association, to its special place in Irish life, and to its hundreds of thousands of members. Today will go down in the history of the GAA.”



After his speech, he presented the monarch with a specially-bound edition of The GAA: A People’s History, and Prince Philip with a hurley and sliotar.



Gardaí were keen to ensure the Croke Park engagement passed off without incident amid heightened concerns protest groups may attempt to disrupt the Queen’s visit.



Hundreds of uniformed and plain clothes gardaí manned the route taken by the royal motorcade to the stadium. The immediate vicinity of the stadium was also heavily policed while onlookers were kept at a distance from the proceedings. There were no reports of any incidents.



Yesterday, gardaí clashed with hundreds of protesters in Dublin city centre during the Queen’s visit to the Garden of Remembrance and Trinity College. There were 20 arrests, with some rioters forcibly handcuffed and removed after they resisted.



Earlier today, the Queen laid a wreath at the War Memorial in Islandbridge in another moving ceremony dedicated to healing divisions between the two countries.



Following on from yesterday’s Garden of Remembrance event, the British monarch and President Mary McAleese laid wreaths at the Islandbridge memorial in memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who perished in the first World War.



The event, which was attended by large number of Irish Army veterans, was requested by Buckingham Palace during the preparations for the Queen's four-day visit, and is understood to be particularly important to the Queen.



The Queen laid a poppy wreath at the memorial’s 'war stone' while the President laid a laurel wreath before both leaders observed a minute’s silence. Similar to yesterday’s event, both national anthems were played at the ceremony, emphasising a new era of unity between the countries.



Following the wreath-laying, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip were shown artist Harry Clarke’s illuminated manuscripts containing the names of all the soldiers commemorated at the memorial. The royal couple were also shown the Ginchy Cross, carved out of oak by Irish soldiers who took part in the infamous Battle of the Somme.



Among the guests were Northern Ireland First Minster Peter Robinson, Catholic Archbishop of Ireland Sean Brady and the head of the Church of Ireland Alan Harper. Others invited included UDA commander Jackie McDonald.



Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness declined an invitation to attend.



Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Robinson said the event "broke another taboo" in Anglo-Irish relations. However, Mr Robinson said the absence of any members of Sinn Féin represented a missed opportunity. “It would have been an excellent opportunity to show respect for traditions that have otherwise not been shown that respect in the past,” he said.



The royal entourage will this evening be joined by British prime minister David Cameron ahead of a State banquet in Dublin Castle. The black-tie event, at the symbolic former seat of British rule in Ireland, will be attended by 172 guests from all walks of public life.



At the start of the dinner, Mrs McAleese is due to make a short address concluding with a toast to the Queen.



The Queen will then make what is being billed as a “major” speech on relations between the two countries, seen as the diplomatic highlight of her four-day visit.



Mr Robinson's wife Iris will be attending tonight’s dinner, her first public engagement since the controversy surrounding her private life erupted in early last year.



The second day of the Queen's itinerary began this morning with a trip to the Guinness Storehouse at St James's Gate where the 85-year-old monarch was given a panoramic “windows” tour of the city in the brewery’s famous Gravity Bar, in the company of RTÉ broadcaster and Late Late Show presenter Ryan Tubridy. She was also given a lesson in pouring the perfect pint.



The Queen then met Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Government Buildings in the company of several other members of the Cabinet, including Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore and Attorney General Máire Whelan.



Mr Kenny held a bi-lateral meeting with the Queen in his office after bringing the royal couple on a brief tour of the building. It was one of the last major building projects conducted under British rule in Ireland. The foundation stone for the building, which was originally used as a college of science, was laid by the Queen’s predecessor, King Edward VII in 1904.



Following her trip to Islandbridge, the Queen and Prince Philip had a private lunch at Farmleigh.

Sex Crime Online

It’s a recipe for trouble: naive teenagers, predatory adults, and a medium—the Internet—that easily connects them.

In a new video blog, Executive Assistant Director Shawn Henry warns against the dangers of online predators. - Watch Video
Download (50 MB).

“It’s an unfortunate fact of life that pedophiles, homophiles, hetrophiles are everywhere online,” said Special Agent Greg Wing, who supervises a cyber-squad in our Chicago Field Office.

When a young person visits an online forum for a popular teen singer or actor, Wing said, “Parents can be reasonably certain that online predators will be there.” It is believed that more than half a million pedophiles are online every day.

Agents assigned to our Innocent Images National Initiative are working hard to catch these child predators and to alert teens and parents about the dark side of the Internet—particularly when it comes to social networking sites and, increasingly, online gaming forums.

Pedophiles go where children are. Before the Internet, that meant places such as amusement parks and zoos. Today, the virtual world makes it alarmingly simple for pedophiles—often pretending to be teens themselves—to make contact with young people.

Advice for Parents

Parents should talk to their children about the danger of being sexually exploited online, and they should monitor their children’s Internet use along with online video gaming, an area where pedophiles are increasingly operating.



Parents should also understand that teens are not always honest about what they are doing online. Some will let their parents “friend” them on social networking sites, for example, and will then establish another space online that is hidden from their parents.



Youngsters often employ a secret Internet language to use when their parents are nearby. Examples include:



- PAW or PRW: Parents are watching

- PIR: Parents in room

- POS: Parent over shoulder

- P911: Parent emergency

- (L)MIRL: (Let’s) meet in real life

Even without being someone’s “friend” online, which allows access to one’s social networking space, pedophiles can see a trove of teenagers’ personal information—the town they live in, the high school they attend, their favorite music and TV programs—because the youngsters often post it for anyone to see.

“The younger generation wants to express themselves, and they don't realize how vulnerable it makes them,” Wing said.

For a pedophile, that personal information is like gold and can be used to establish a connection and gain a child's trust.

There are basically two types of pedophiles on the Internet—those who seek face-to-face meetings with children, and those who are content to anonymously collect and trade child pornography images.

Those seeking face-to-face meetings create bogus identities online, sometimes posing as teenagers. Then they troll the Internet for easy victims—youngsters with low self-esteem, problems with their parents, or a shortage of money. The pedophile might find a 14-year-old girl, for example, who has posted seemingly harmless information on her space for anyone to see. The pedophile sends a message saying he goes to high school in a nearby town and likes the same music or TV shows she likes.

Then the pedophile cultivates a friendly online relationship that investigators call “grooming.” It could continue for days or weeks before the pedophile begins bringing up sexual topics, asking for explicit pictures or for a personal meeting. By that time an emotional connection has been made—and pedophiles can be master manipulators. Even if an actual meeting never takes place, it is important to note that youngsters can be victimized by such sexually explicit online contact.

Innocent Images Investigators

Agents on our Innocent Images squads around the country take part in overt and covert operations to stop online child predators and to identify victims.

During investigations, agents sometimes pose online as teens to infiltrate pedophile networks and to gather evidence by downloading files that are indicative of child pornography. During the investigation of known suspects, undercover agents may also “friend” people the suspect is associated with.

“Pedophiles regularly create bogus online profiles,” said Special Agent Greg Wing, who supervises a cyber-squad in our Chicago Field Office. “Usually, anyone associated with that profile is either a fellow offender or a victim.”
Even worse than posting personal information for anyone to see is the fact that many youngsters will accept “friends” who are total strangers. “Nobody wants to just have five friends online,” Wing said. “It's a popularity thing.”

Special Agent Wesley Tagtmeyer, a veteran cyber investigator in our Chicago office who works undercover during online investigations, said that in his experience, about 70 percent of youngsters will accept “friend” requests regardless of whether they know the requester.

Tagtmeyer and other cyber investigators say a relatively new trend among pedophiles is to begin grooming youngsters through online gaming forums, some of which allow two-way voice and video communication. Parents who might be vigilant about monitoring their children’s Internet activity often have no idea that online video gaming platforms can pose a threat.

“Parents need to talk to their children about these issues,” he said. “It’s no longer enough to keep computers in an open area of the house so they can be monitored. The same thing needs to be done with online gaming platforms.”

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin Violence

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin Violence: "Violence broke out in Dublin this afternoon following republican protests over the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland. Gardaí said 21..."

Queen Dublin Violence

Violence broke out in Dublin this afternoon following republican protests over the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland.




Gardaí said 21 arrests were made for alleged public order offences.



About 100 people attacked gardaí at the junction of Dorset Street, Eccles Street and Hardwicke Street with rocks and bricks. A number of fires were lit, and there were running battles with gardaí.



Protesters from Republican Sinn Féin and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement originally held a demonstration at North Frederick Street, adjacent to the Garden of Remembrance before the gardaí began pushing them back towards the Dorset Street junction.



They were joined by onlookers who began burning bags of rubbish and taking bricks from building sites close by to throw at uniformed gardaí and members of the riot squad.



The junction, which was originally open to traffic, was closed. A number of cars and coaches were caught up in the clashes.



Earlier, a crowd of around 30 supporters of the socialist republican group Éirigí gathered at the Spire on O’Connell Street to stage a protest. They sat in the northbound carriageway of O'Connell Street and chanted slogans and beat bodhrans while some of the protesters set fire to a union flag.



They were surrounded by gardaí, who prevented others from joining the protest.



Soon afterwards, a crowd of about 100 people approached the Spire from Henry Street, to be met by ranks of uniformed gardaí, who forced them back using crowd control barriers.



They retreated down Henry Street where they were joined by the group from the Spire and the crowd moved to Moore Street for a rally. The crowd was addressed by speakers from Éirígí before making its way up Moore Street towards Parnell Street.



About 200 people staged a sit-down protest at the junction of Parnell Street and Parnell Square. A Garda spokesman said a number of people were arrested for public order offences and were taken to Store Street Garda station.



Seperately, Sinn Féin released hundreds of black balloons into the air as the Queen laid a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance this afternoon.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin Ireland Places Cork Dublin

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Queen Dublin Ireland Places Cork Dublin: "Queen Elizabeth will not conduct any “spontaneous” walkabouts or hand-shaking with members of the public during her historic visit to the Re..."

Queen Dublin Ireland Places Cork Dublin

Queen Elizabeth will not conduct any “spontaneous” walkabouts or hand-shaking with members of the public during her historic visit to the Republic which begins tomorrow.




Amid heightened security concerns that protest groups may seek to disrupt the visit, Government officials also said the “precise” time and duration of each leg of her four-day itinerary would be withheld for security reasons.



The royal flight is scheduled to touch down at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel at approximately noon.



Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, will be greeted on the tarmac by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore.



The British delegation will include foreign secretary William Hague and the British Ambassador to Ireland, Julian King.



Under tight security cordon, the royal motorcade will then proceed to Áras an Uachtaráin for the official State welcome.



The Queen and Prince Philip will be met on the steps of the Áras by President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin before being escorted inside and introduced to the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.



As part of the ceremonial welcome, the Queen will receive a 21-gun salute in the forecourt of the Áras which will be followed by a rendition of the British national anthem by a combined Irish Army band.



A detachment of the Army Air Corps will also perform a ceremonial fly by. The 85-year-old monarch will then will invited to inspect an Irish military guard of honour before attending a tree-planting ceremony in the Áras garden, in front of the peace bell which was placed there in 2008 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement.



President McAleese will hold a brief bi-lateral meeting with the Queen before hosting a luncheon for both delegations in the main dining room.



Following the reception in Phoenix Park, the royal entourage will head to Dublin’s Parnell Square for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance at approximately 3.15pm.



In a hugely symbolic gesture, the Queen will observe a minute’s silence at the memorial to those who died fighting for Irish freedom.



The President and the Queen will be greeted and escorted around the memorial by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and the Irish Army Chief of Staff, Sean McCann.



The poem Rinneadh Aisling Duinn (We Saw A Vision), which is inscribed on the wall of the Garden of Remembrance, will be read aloud in Irish by Captain Joe Freeley, from the Second Infantry Battalion in Cathal Brugha Barracks at the event. Both national anthems will also be played again by an Irish Army band.



Gardaí have banned onlookers from the streets outside the destinations to be visited by the Queen, and tomorrow up to 30 streets in the city centre will be closed to traffic tomorrow.



After the Garden of Remembrance event, the Queen will visit Trinity College, founded by her predecessor Queen Elizabeth I in 1592.



The royal party will be formally welcomed at the college by Provost John Hegarty and the college chancellor and former president Mary Robinson before being escorted to the Book of Kells exhibition in old library building.



There will also be a reception in honour of the Queen in the Long Room where she and Prince Philip will meet Trinity dignitaries, scholars, musicians and artists, before being invited to sign the visitors’ book.



The royal pair will also greet students before departing in their motorcade en route to Farmleigh where they will repair for a private evening.



TUESDAY, MAY 17th



Arrival at Casement Aerodrome



Meeting President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin



Wreath-laying ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance



Trip to view Book of Kells at TCD



WEDNESDAY, MAY 18th



“Windows” tour of Dublin at the Guinness Storehouse



Greeted by Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Government Buildings



Wreath-laying ceremony at the Irish National War Memorial Garden, Islandbridge



Visit to Croke Park



State dinner at Dublin Castle



THURSDAY, MAY 19th



Visit to National Stud Kildare



The Duke of Edinburgh to attend a reception at Farmleigh House with members of Gaisce – the President’s award



A celebration of the Queen’s visit at the Convention Centre Dublin



FRIDAY, MAY 20th



Tour of St Patrick’s Rock, Cashel



Visit to English Market in Cork



Visit to Tyndall National Institute, Cork



Departure from Cork airport

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Rape of Children Vatican Favours Coverup

THE IRISH OBSERVER: Rape of Children Vatican Favours Coverup: "A five-page document drawn up by Cardinal William Levada, the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, concluded that the resp..."

Rape of Children Vatican Favours Coverup

A five-page document drawn up by Cardinal William Levada, the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, concluded that the responsibility for dealing with any child abuse cases found within the Church "belongs in the first place to bishops". In the past, there have been repeated accusations of cover-ups by the church and bishops have been found to have shielded child abusers.




The Vatican claimed the document, which will be circulated to all clergy worldwide, was "an important new step" to cleanse the Church of its recurring child abuse scandals and promised that the church would cooperate the police in any official inquiries.



"This document is simply meaningless words - they have been forced to act but it is not enough," said Marco Lodi Rizzini, a spokesman for an Italian victim of abuse by priests group. "The Vatican has said it will cooperate with the authorities before, but only because they have been forced to."



Mr Rizzini pointed to a case that has just emerged in the northern Italian city of Genoa where a 50-year-old priest has been arrested by police investigating a drugs and sex ring. Although Church leaders immediately suspended Father Riccardo Seppia, there were claims that the Vatican had been warned of his behaviour in the past. Piercarlo Casassa, a retired priest, said:"I told the Church authorities about him in 1994 but I was ignored. I told them he was not the right person to have around youngsters but no one listened to me".



Maeve Lewis, of the One in Four support group in Dublin, said she welcomed the new universal guidelines but that bishops have little expertise or experience in recognising child abuse. "We have had several cases in Ireland where the Church was slow to respond hiding behind the data protection act and it is just not acceptable that reporting an allegation is at the discretion of a bishop," she said.

Queens Dublin Visit Arrangements

As security is stepped up for the Queens visit to Dublin tomorrow 17/5/2011, estimates for security and loss of business is expected to exceed over 50 Million Euro to the Irish economy. Up to 20,000 Gardai, army and special branch will be on full alert as there is a serious threat to public safety from dissident republicans in Dublin. The tight security measures mean that many millions of euro will be lost in trade as shops are cut off from consumers in important shopping locations such as Stepehsn Green and O'Connell Street.
Gardaí have announced road closures and traffic restrictions as part of the security operation for the visit of the Queen Elizabeth to Cork and Tipperary next week.

While the visit to both counties does not take place until next Friday, some of the security related traffic restrictions are being put in place from Monday.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said today he hoped members of the public would not be inconvenienced by the traffic and parking restrictions planned for both the visit of the Queen and US president Barack Obama.

However, the Garda had a duty to put in place an adequate security operation for both visits. He said all of the restrictions were being publicised well in advance of the visits.

"I hope people will understand that this is necessary, but also on the understanding that this is a brilliant opportunity to present Ireland as the kind of people we are,” said Mr Kenny. "I know the Irish people have been very understanding on occasions in the past when president Reagan and president Clinton were here."

In Co Tipperary, where the Queen will visit the Rock of Cashel, traffic flow restrictions on the M8 are being put in place from next Monday until next Friday.

Both carriageways will be reduced to one lane. Vehicles must reduce their speed below 100kmph on a 10km stretch from just north of junction 7 to just south of junction 8.

Next Thursday evening, the only access to Cashel will be from junction 9 of the M8, as all other exits will be closed.

Between 6pm next Thursday and noon the following day, gardai will place a cordon around Cashel, effectively sealing off the town.

Only those with valid passes, such as local residents and business owners, will be allowed through the 7km outer cordon around the town. There will be no access via a shorter inner cordon.

Cordons will also be placed from Thursday evening until noon on Friday around Fethard and Killenaule, although gardai have said business will continue as normal in those places.

On Friday afternoon the Queen moves on to Cork, where major traffic restrictions will be put in place in a bid by gardai to shore up security.
From 10am many streets in the city centre will be closed but other routes around the city will remain open for motorists.
The city centre areas to be closed from 10am next Friday include: South Link Road inbound, Station Rd, Anglesea St, South Mall, Grand Parade, Patrick St, Academy St, Washington St, Sheares St and Dyke Parade.
No parking will be allowed in those areas from 6pm on Thursday.
Many of the streets in Cork city centre will see crowd control barriers erected and while pedestrians will be able to move about unimpeded they will only be permitted to cross roads at designated crossing points.
However, there will be no pedestrian access on some city centre streets next Friday between noon and 4pm.

These include: Princess St Upper; junction of Oliver Plunkett St and Patrick St; St Augustine St to Tuckey St; junction of Tuckey St and Grand Parade to Electric Bar South Mall; Washington St; junction of Grand Parade to South Main St.
During the four days of the Queen’s visit, between May 17th and 20th, the N7, N4 and M50 will be completely closed at times. Dublin Zoo will be closed on May 17th and 23rd.

Marian Price Dissident Charges Real IRA 32 County Sovereignty Movement

Old Bailey bomber Marian Price has been charged with encouraging support for an illegal organisation.



The 57-year-old veteran republican was arrested in west Belfast on Friday in connection with a parade in Londonderry on Easter Monday in which a masked paramilitary spoke to crowds in the city cemetery.

Price, and her sister Dolours, were among those convicted of the Old Bailey bombing in 1972, which killed one person and injured 200 others.

She is now a spokesman for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which is widely regarded as the political wing of the Real IRA.

Price is due to appear at Londonderry Magistrates Court on Monday.

THE IRISH OBSERVER: IMF Bailout as Strauss Kahn bites off more than he...

THE IRISH OBSERVER: IMF Bailout as Strauss Kahn bites off more than he...: "Strauss-Kahn a fondness for fine food, fine wine and poor judgement. 1967: married Hélène Dumas 1984: married Brigitte Guillemette ..."

IMF Bailout as Strauss Kahn bites off more than he can Chew

Strauss-Kahn a fondness for fine food, fine wine and poor judgement.



1967: married Hélène Dumas




1984: married Brigitte Guillemette



1991: married Anne Sinclair, star political interviewer of Sept Sur Sept, a programme on top French TV channel TF1. She gave up her post when he became finance minister in 1997.



2007: After he IMF managing director in 2007, Jean Quatremer, a journalist at Libération, wrote: "The only real problem for Strauss-Kahn, is his relation to women. Too forward, he often brushes with harassment. It is a problem known to the media but that nobody talks about (we are in France)." Frederic Lefebvre, an adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, claimed shortly afterwards in a biography that Mr Strauss-Kahn "wouldn't last a week" if he entered a presidential election, due to the weight of damaging allegations that would emerge.



Mr Lefebvre claimed to have seen photographs showing Mr Strauss-Kahn leaving La Chandelle, a popular Parisian wife-swapping club, and said they would be circulated if Mr Strauss-Kahn entered an election.


Tristane Banon, a writer, claims she had to fend Mr Strauss-Kahn off with kicks and punches when he invited her to a meeting in a room furnished with a double bed and a television. He said he went at her "like a chimpanzee on heat" during the alleged incident in 2002.

Her husband, a Socialist politician, said she spoke to DSK about it and he said: "I don't know what came over me, I lost the plot."



2008: DSK is forced to apologise publicly to IMF employees and his wife for the trouble caused by his affair with Mrs Piroska Nagy, a Hungarian subordinate in the international organisation.



The IMF board called it "a serious error of judgment," but ruled he had not abused his position. Mrs Piroska Nagy later declared: "I believe that man has a problem." Aurélie Filipetti, a Socialist MP, told Le Temps that she had once been the object of a "very heavy-handed flirt" by DSK. "I made sure I was not alone with him in a closed room," she said.



Danielle Evenou, a French actress and wife of a former Socialist minister, said on French radio: "Who hasn't been cornered by Dominique Strauss-Kahn?"



2010: Release of The Secret of a Presidential Contender, written by a woman hidden under the pseudonym Cassandre, who was said to be one of his female aides. It cites "rumours of multiple extramarital liaisons beyond the one he confessed to with an IMF employee in 2008." In her book, the author writes: "Like all great political animals, he has trouble controlling himself." The French press quote President Nicolas Sarkozy as warning DSK before his Washington appointment, saying: "You know, over there they don't joke about this sort of thing. Your life will be passed under a magnifying glass. Avoid taking the lift alone with interns. France cannot permit a scandal."



May 2011: DSK arrested and charged with sexual assault on a New York hotel maid.

Tom Humphries Journalist Accused of Child Rape

Tom Humphries is a sportswriter and columnist who writes for The Irish Times. He lives in Dublin with Mary and his two children, Molly and Caitlín. Tom Humphries has the ear of many famous sporting celebrities in Ireland and writes a column for the Irish Times (Locker Room) however, Tom Humphries has been exposed a child rapist, who used his position in a Dublin GAA Club to access and molest a female child. Humphries used his position as a sports writer and 'coach' to gain access to the Locker Rooms of little girls in the Dublin GAA Club where he groomed his prey.

The pervert was exposed when sex texts were found on his mobile phone by his own daughter. The Gardai specialist unit dealing with child rape have interviewed the little girl who was molested by Humphries and she has told them how she was abused by Humphries. Due to the unrestricted access that Humphries has had to many children including the children of celebrities all over Ireland, many children will now have to be interviewed by the Gardai.

On the 9th of May 2000 Humphries used his position with the Irish Times to publish a significant article in that paper, critiquing the abuse of children in Ireland by the Christian Brothers, surely a case of the pot calling the kettle black as is so often the case in Ireland.

On the 21st of March 2011 Humphries’ latest dribble in the Irish Times explained how he was sick and struggling to beat off a bout of man flu, his readers will now realise how sick Humphries really was. One senior sports personality told the Irish Observer:


“I allowed that man into my house for no other reason than the fact that he carried an NUJ card the NUJ have a great deal to answer for as have the GAA”.


Humphries, born in London, grew up in Foxfield, Raheny, on the northside of Dublin, and was educated at St. Joseph's Christian Brothers School, Fairview (alma mater of politicians Charles Haughey, John A. Costello and George Colley). Attending University College Dublin (UCD) he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Commerce and a Higher Diploma in Education. A notable student's union politician, Humphries unsuccessfully ran for the office of President of University College Dublin Students' Union in 1986, being defeated by Ulick Stafford. After teaching for a period he entered journalism.

His name came to international prominence when he interviewed Irish soccer player Roy Keane in Saipan in May 2002, as Ireland were preparing to take part in the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Originally his intention had been to write an article based on the interview, but such were the nature Keane’s revelations, in particular his thoughts on the Irish team’s preparations for the World Cup and the attitude of the management, players and the FAI (Football Association of Ireland), that the article appeared as a verbatim transcript of the interview, starting on the front page of The Irish Times (an almost unheard of concession) and continuing in full on the inner pages. The resulting furore caused Keane, the preeminent Irish player of his generation, to resign from the squad at the same time as being sent home by the Irish soccer team manager, Mick McCarthy, before the World Cup started.


His book 'Lap Top Dancing and the Nanny Goat Mambo' was published in 2003 and was an account of his year spent covering sporting events in 2002, including the Saipan events and the Champions League Final. He was also one of the first Irish journalists to question the validity of Michelle Smith’s swimming success in the 1996 Olympics. To this day he regularly mentions Smith in his columns.


Besides his regular sports reporting and feature articles, Humphries writes a Monday column in the Irish Times called 'Lockerroom',


'Green Fields: Gaelic Sport in Ireland' was Humphries' first book and is an analysis of the importance of the GAA in modern Ireland, a recurring theme of his work.

He was ghost writer on Irish soccer player Niall Quinn's autobiography Niall Quinn - The Autobiography, published in 2002 and nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

A collection of his Irish Times and Sports Illustrated writings was published in 2004 as 'Booked!' and was nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. All royalties from the book went to Amnesty International.

Humphries wrote the book 'Dublin V Kerry', an account of the series of historic clashes between the two dominant teams in Gaelic Football of the mid to late 1970s.
He co-authored Come What May, Donal Og Cusack's autobiography.
He detests the League of Ireland and rugby.

Queens Dublin Visit Dissident Republicans Violence

Queens Dublin visit to be meet with violence as dissident republicans organise street protests. It is believed that dissident republicans have secured a light 50 snipping rifle, blast bombs, pipe bombs to bring violence to the streets of Dublin when the Queen of England visits next week.


Gardaí have borrowed riot-control water cannons from the PSNI ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Dublin next week.



She is due to arrive on May 17th, the first time a British head of state has visited the Republic since independence.



While the visit is viewed in most quarters as an historic juncture in Anglo-Irish relations, there are concerns dissident republicans may try to disrupt the events.



Following the murder of Catholic policeman Ronan Kerr and a recent Real IRA rally in Derry which opposed the visit, Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said stringent precautions will be put in place for the queen's visit and for the arrival of US president Barack Obama the following week.



We’ve seen very menacing threats coming from these groups in recent weeks,” he told RTÉ radio this morning. “The Government is concerned about any dissident threats there are, and the security arrangements are very strong arrangements.”



Part of these arrangements will involve two PSNI water cannons being borrowed by the Garda.



A PSNI spokeswoman said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland will supply equipment to An Garda Síochánafor the upcoming royal visit to the Republic of Ireland from May 17th-20th.”

Drains are being checked at the quays on the River Liffey as preparations continue.

Dissident Terrorists are determined to ensure maximum violence for Queen’s visit to Dublin 17-20 May 2011. The Real IRA in Dublin (a criminal gang profiting from drug dealing) have acquired a light 50 snipping rifle from criminals in south Armagh.

Following the Queen’s visit to Dublin dissidents will focus their energies on the north where the annual marching season by loyalists will be used as an opportunity to stoke up sectarian violence. At present bombs are being prepared in north Louth, north Monaghan and Donegal for what will be a campaign of murder and violence. The dissident groupings in Tyrone, Derry and south Armagh are determined to mount a spectacular bomb attack that will claim many lives.



Up Date 30th April 2011

A 28-year-old man has appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court in connection with terrorist activity.



Michael Patrick Johnston from the New Lodge Road in north Belfast is charged with having four timer power units for the purpose of terrorist activity.



He was stopped and searched by police in Dawson Street, off the Antrim Road, on Thursday night.



The Antrim Road was sealed off and several homes evacuated while the four timer power units, recovered by police, were examined by the army bomb squad.

Johnston did not seek bail and was returned to custody.

He will appear in court again via videolink next month.



Easter Up Date 23 April 2011 Dissident Republicans Ireland

A priest from Derry has offered to meet the Real IRA in an attempt to persuade members of the group to abandon violence.



Fr Michael Canny made the offer today after a rally to mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising heard threats to kill more police officers in Northern Ireland.



Addressing an Easter Rising commemoration in Derry’s City Cemetery, the Real IRA denounced the PSNI, the Catholic Church, constitutional nationalism and what it called “the criminal free state government”.



A statement read out by a masked man in paramilitary uniform warned that those serving in the PSNI were “serving the occupation” and were thus “liable for execution”.



Fr Canny told RTÉ's Morning Ireland today he was not sure if members of the group would meet him but that he was eager to engage with them to try to stop them going down a road leading to “death, despair and misery”.



He said every opportunity should be availed of to let dissidents that know “human life is sacred”.



Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said today he was “disgusted” by yesterday’s events. “The sight of somebody appearing in a mask and menacingly threatening Catholics who join the PSNI, nationalists who join the PSNI that they will be killed, threatening the government and people of this country, that belongs to the past, and that is the past.”



Mr Gilmore, who was meeting Irish-American Congressman Richard Neal in Dublin, said the dissidents had no mandate. “The arrangements in this country have been settled by the Good Friday Agreement, been voted on by the people of this country and nobody has any right to challenge that in the way that these people are doing. The Government is absolutely determined that they will not succeed.”



The Tánaiste welcomed Fr Canny’s offer. “If there is anybody who can persuade these people away from the path that they are on and the threats that they are making, then certainly I would welcome that. And I would hope that that would be helpful.”



The Real IRA yesterday denied it was in talks with either the Irish or British governments and insisted it would not do so unless such discussions centred on “the restoration of Irish sovereignty”.



“If the British are serious about discussing the restoration of Irish sovereignty then we will listen to their proposals, anything else is a waste of time,” the statement said. “Óglaigh na hÉireann call on any young nationalist who may have been sold the lie that the RUC/PSNI is somehow a reformed, non-political police service to think again. Those who think they are serving their community are in fact serving the occupation and will be treated as such."



Trevor Ringland, an independent member of Northern Ireland Policing Board, said today the threats included in the statement were “appalling”, “sinister” and a “throwback to the past”. He said the PSNI served both loyalists and republicans and that the policing board would try to ensure police reached out to parts of the community that felt a distance from the PSNI.



Former SDLP leader Mr Durkan said the Real IRA’s words "are intended to intimidate everyone but their pretensions to legitimacy will impress no one".



He added: “Politicians do not really have to argue that this group is morally and politically bankrupt when they are driven to attack and threaten nationalists who want to serve the community and their country through a policing vocation."





25th April 2011

Gavin Coyle (33)

Brian Anthony Sheridan (34)

Brian Francis Cavlan (35)

Dominic Dines (39)

Weapons and ammunition found in a car in Northern Ireland were not intended to kill anybody, a court heard today.



They were to be buried when police uncovered the cache in Keady, south Armagh, near the border, three suspects charged with terrorism offences told police.



Brian Anthony Sheridan (34) from Avonmore, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh; Brian Francis Cavlan (35) from Circular Road, Dungannon; and Dominic Dines (39) from Bree, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, appeared at Newry Magistrates’ Court today.



Detective Sergeant Ronnie Gibson told the court he could connect the accused to the charges.



He said Dines replied when charged that “he was told to bury the weapons found in the car that he was driving and he had no intent to use them at any time to shoot or kill anybody, carry out any robbery or any show of strength”.



The other defendants made similar statements. They made no reply, refusing to identify themselves, to a charge of possession of firearms and two counts of possession of articles for use in terrorism on Friday last.



At the time police said it was linked to suspected dissident republican activity after a joint operation with gardaí. The detective confirmed a shovel was found in the Citroen car stopped by police that appeared to have been used.



The accused were dressed casually in T-shirts and jeans. The court was full of police officers in body armour and relatives of the defendants.



At one point one of the suspects smiled across at the public gallery. They sat in silence as the court proceedings continued.

Magistrate Paul Copeland remanded the three in custody to appear by video link at Armagh Magistrates Court at the next sitting.



Who Are The Dissidents?

The IRA

The IRA is the latest ‘dissident’ group to raise its head. The IRA is based in Tyrone and is made up of members of the Provisional IRA. They have guns and explosives that were allegedly decommissioned.

The Real IRA

The Real IRA was born out of a split in the mainstream Provisional IRA (PIRA) in October 1997, when the PIRA's so-called quartermaster-general Michael Mc Kevitt and PIRA Chief of Staff Kevin McKenna resigned over Sinn Fein's embrace of the peace process. However, both men were fully aware of the secret meetings between the British secret service (M16) and IRA leader Martin Mc Guinness.



Shortly after its formation, the paramilitary group quickly took over from the older Continuity IRA as the leading home for dissidents.



However, the security forces believe the two organisations have co-operated in a number of attacks including the Omagh bomb.



The Real IRA was responsible for the Omagh bombing in August 1998. It was also behind a string of subsequent attacks including the car bombing of BBC Television Centre in west London in June 2001 and the shooting of two soldiers at Massereene army base in 2009.



According to the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC), the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are increasingly working more closely together to increase the threat posed to security forces.



The Real IRA is thought to be split into two fairly distinct factions, each with its own leadership structures.



The Real IRA in Dublin is led by two brothers Alan and Antony Ryan and that organisation is making significant money from drug dealing and racketeering. They have also been involved in the murder of a number of vulnerable individuals.



Continuity IRA

The Continuity IRA (CIRA) has its origins in a split in the IRA which centred around opposition to republican candidates taking seats in the Irish Republic's parliament.



In 1986 some members of Sinn Fein, angry at the party's decision to end its policy of abstention broke away and formed a new party called Republican Sinn Fein. It is worth noting that Republican Sinn Fein have taken their salaries and expenses when they have been elected to a couple of local authority seats in the Republic.



The security forces say the CIRA was set up as the military wing of Republican Sinn Fein, although the party says that is not the case.



For many years the CIRA was a very small and largely inactive group. It announced its reappearance in 1996 when it destroyed a hotel in County Fermanagh with a bomb thought to contain more than 1,200lbs of explosives.



It is believed most of its members are concentrated in Counties Fermanagh, Armagh and Monaghan.



It claimed responsibility for the murder of police officer Stephen Carroll in March 2009.



Recently the Continuity IRA is believed to have split between those on the traditional wing - mainly members in the Irish Republic - and a younger faction based mainly in Northern Ireland.



Oglaigh na hEireann

The name Oglaigh na hEireann (which roughly translates as soldiers of Ireland) has been used by a variety of groups.



It is the sole name used by a relatively new group which has been the most active dissident republican organisation over the past year.



It is comprised of a small group of veteran members of other paramilitary organisations, including the Provisional IRA.



The group, which emerged around 2005, is mainly based in Belfast and South Armagh, but has shown itself capable of carrying out attacks over a wide geographical area.



Earlier this year, a Catholic police officer was left critically injured when an Oglaigh na hEireann bomb exploded underneath his car in County Antrim.



Its attack in summer 2010 have included the attempted booby-trap bombing of an Army major in County Down and a bomb attack on Strand Road police station in Derry.



In an interview with the Irish News in August 2010, the organisation said the "vast majority" of its members are former Provisional IRA men.



A spokesperson said they had been prepared to give Sinn Fein an opportunity to show that politics could be a substitute for violent action but had lost patience with the strategy.



He said that popular support for armed struggle was irrelevant and that Oglaigh na hEireann would only hold talks with the British government if it was likely that they would lead to British withdrawal within a short timeframe.



Other groups which have used the title Oglaigh na hEireann include a faction which split from the Continuity IRA in 2006 and a Real IRA splinter group.



Coincidentally, Oglaigh na hEireann is also the official Irish-language title for the Irish defence forces.



Irish National Liberation Army

The Irish National Liberation Army was formed in 1975, mainly from disaffected members of the IRA unhappy at a previous ceasefire. It has killed more than 150 people.



Its most high profile murder was that of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright, who was shot dead in the Maze prison in 1997.



The INLA regularly indulged in bouts of bloody in-fighting and became involved in organised crime, such as extortion, robbery and drug dealing.



It claimed responsibility for the murder of a drug dealer in Londonderry in February, but was considered to be the least active of the dissident groups in recent years.



On 11 October 2009, the INLA announced that its armed struggle was over and said its objective of a "32-county socialist republic" would be best achieved through exclusively peaceful means. One of its leaders Declan Duffy is presently in prison and has been involved in a series of criminal actions.



Republican Action Against Drugs

Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) is an organisation widely believed to be made up of former Provisional IRA members.



Some believe it may be a front for other dissident groups.



According to the Independent Monitoring Commission RAAD is partly responsible for the increase in mutilation attacks in Derry.



The group have claimed responsibility for about 12 "mutilation shootings" in the city over the past year, including attacks on suspected drug dealers. These type of attacks are normally used to ensure that the community remains silent about the criminal actions of paramilitary group members including rape.



In its report from November 2009, the IMC referred to the "growth of vigilante organisations which claim to want to 'clean-up' anti-social behaviour".



The IMC said these groups were "a factor behind the increase in the number of attacks in some nationalist areas".

End





As Dissident Criminals continue to bring death and destruction to the streets of Ireland here are some important facts about the dissident criminals who dare to call themselves republicans. Below is a timeline of dissident criminal activity since 2009 and a breakdown of the various criminal groupings.



Week Beginning Monday April 25th 2011

Gavin Coyle (33)

Brian Anthony Sheridan (34)

Brian Francis Cavlan (35)

Dominic Dines (39)

Weapons and ammunition found in a car in Northern Ireland were not intended to kill anybody, a court heard today.



They were to be buried when police uncovered the cache in Keady, south Armagh, near the border, three suspects charged with terrorism offences told police.



Brian Anthony Sheridan (34) from Avonmore, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh; Brian Francis Cavlan (35) from Circular Road, Dungannon; and Dominic Dines (39) from Bree, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, appeared at Newry Magistrates’ Court today.



Detective Sergeant Ronnie Gibson told the court he could connect the accused to the charges.



He said Dines replied when charged that “he was told to bury the weapons found in the car that he was driving and he had no intent to use them at any time to shoot or kill anybody, carry out any robbery or any show of strength”.



The other defendants made similar statements. They made no reply, refusing to identify themselves, to a charge of possession of firearms and two counts of possession of articles for use in terrorism on Friday last.



At the time police said it was linked to suspected dissident republican activity after a joint operation with gardaí. The detective confirmed a shovel was found in the Citroen car stopped by police that appeared to have been used.



The accused were dressed casually in T-shirts and jeans. The court was full of police officers in body armour and relatives of the defendants.



At one point one of the suspects smiled across at the public gallery. They sat in silence as the court proceedings continued.

Magistrate Paul Copeland remanded the three in custody to appear by video link at Armagh Magistrates Court at the next sitting.



April 2011

A 500lb bomb is left in a van at an underpass on the main Belfast to Dublin Road in Newry.



The alert began on the night of Thursday 7 April and was cleared on Saturday 9 April. Several motorists drove past the vehicle on the Friday.



Constable Ronan Kerr is killed after a bomb explodes under his car outside his home in Omagh, County Tyrone, on 2 April.



No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but dissident republicans have been blamed.



The 25-year-old had joined the police in May 2010 and had been working in the community for five months.



Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott described Constable Kerr as a "modern-day hero".





1. March 2009, Massereene Barracks, County Antrim: Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey are killed as they collect pizzas outside their barracks. The Real IRA said it carried out the attack.



2. March 2009, Craigavon, County Armagh: Constable Stephen Carroll, 48, is shot dead as he and police colleagues answer a call for help. The Continuity IRA says it shot the policeman



3. February 2010, Braehead Road, near the Irish border: The naked and bound body of 31-year-old dissident republican Kieran Doherty is found close to Londonderry. The Real IRA says it abducted and murdered him



4. April 2011, Omagh, County Tyrone: Constable Ronan Kerr is killed after a bomb explodes under his car outside his home. Dissident republicans have been blamed



March 2011



Forensic experts at the scene of Derry courthouse bomb The PSNI describe a bomb left near Londonderry courthouse as a "substantial viable device".



District Commander, Stephen Martin, said a beer keg, left in a stolen car, contained around 50kg of home-made explosives.



The alert started on the evening of Sunday 27 March.



Irish police investigate possible dissident republican involvement in the shooting of three people in a park in Blanchardstown, Dublin on Sunday 27 March.



Two of the injured men were shot in the body, the other in the head.



A number of shots are fired at police officers at Glen Road in Londonderry on the night of 2 March.



Police say it was an attempt to kill.



February 2011

On 18 February Sinn Fein condemn a threat they say has been made by dissident republicans against the brother of Pat Finucane as "beyond contempt".



Gerry Kelly said the threat against community worker Seamus Finucane came from the dissident republican group, Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH).



Irish police investigating the activities of dissident republicans discover items they said could be used to make explosive devices.



They were found during a search of a house in Barnstown in County Wexford.



January 2011

On 30 January two men arrested in Galway after police found guns and explosives are charged at a court in Dublin.



They were charged with unlawful possession of an explosive substance, unlawful possession of a revolver and unlawful possession of ammunition.



Two bombs were found during an alert on the Antrim Road in north Belfast The PSNI confirm two bombs were found in a security alert which started on the Antrim Road in north Belfast on 23 January and lasted several days.



The second viable device was found behind a scout hall while the first found, an "anti-personnel device", was found outside a shop.



On 22 January, the leader of the Irish Republic's main opposition party, Edna Kenny of Fine Gael, tells the Alliance Party conference, if he was the country's prime minister, he would do everything within his powers to combat the threat of dissident republicans.



Police in the Republic of Ireland question five men arrested in connection with the discovery of a "bomb factory" on a farm in County Kildare.



A 22-year-old man appears in court on 12 January in connection with a dissident republican bomb attack on a police station in Londonderry.



December 2010

A policeman finds an unexploded grenade outside his home in County Fermanagh.



The device was discovered at the property in Drumreer Road, Maguiresbridge, on 23 December.



A terrorism charge against 40-year-old dissident republican Gary Donnelly from Londonderry is withdrawn on 22 December.



A grenade was found outside a police officer's home in County Fermanagh. In the Republic, three men from Northern Ireland are jailed for IRA membership on 15 December.



Gerard McGarrigle, 46, from Mount Carmel Heights in Strabane was sentenced to five years in prison.



Desmond Donnelly, 58, from Drumall, Lisnarick, Fermanagh and Jim Murphy, 63, from Floraville in Enniskillen, were given three years and nine months.



They were arrested in Letterkenny in February after Irish police received a tip-off that dissident republicans were about to carry out a tiger kidnapping.



On 10 December, the Police Federation claims the level of dissident republican terrorist activity in Northern Ireland is being played down by the police and government to make NI appear more normal than it actually is.



A 21-year-old woman is charged with having a gun and ammunition with intent to endanger life on 5 December.



The arrest followed a search in west Belfast by detectives investigating suspected dissident republican activity.



Four men are arrested after an explosive device is found in a car near Dundalk, County Louth on 1 December.



The device, described by police as a viable mortar, was made safe by bomb disposal experts.



November 2010

A meeting of the Derry DPP in the Guildhall on 25 November has to be abandoned after republican protesters blew horns and chanted slogans.





The scene of the bomb attack in west Belfast A military hand grenade is used to attack police officers called to a robbery at Shaw's Road in west Belfast on 5 November.



Three police officers were hurt and one of them suffered serious arm injuries when the grenade was thrown by a cyclist who then made off.



The dissident paramilitary group Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH) said it was responsible for the attack.



October 2010

Two men are shot in the legs in attacks in Londonderry in the space of 48 hours - the first on Sunday 17 October, the second on Tuesday 19 October.



A general purpose machine-gun and improvised mortar bomb are among the weapons found in a police search in a wooded area at Togher, Dunleer, County Louth on 11 October.



Ten people are arrested after Irish police find weapons and bomb making material in raids in Counties Louth, Wexford and Waterford on 8 October.



Two men later appear in court while files are prepared for the DPP on the others.



The Ulster Bank on Culmore Road was damaged in car bomb attack in Derry A car bomb explodes close to the Ulster Bank, shops and a hotel on Londonderry's Culmore Road on 4 October.



The area had been cleared when the bomb exploded, but the blast was so strong that a police officer who was standing close to the cordon was knocked off his feet.



Masonry and glass from smashed windows were strewn across the Culmore Road.



Lurgan man Paul McCaugherty is jailed for 20 years for a dissident republican gun smuggling plot which was uncovered after an MI5 sting operation.



McCaugherty was found guilty of attempting to import weapons and explosives.



Dermot Declan Gregory from Crossmaglen, was found guilty of making a Portuguese property available for the purpose of terrorism. He was sentenced to four years.



September 2010

A 54-year-old Newry man is charged seven offences including possession of firearms and ammunition with intent in the preparation of acts of terrorism after police discover firearms including a "walking stick which could be turned into a gun" in the shed of a house.



Home Secretary Theresa May issued a warning about possible dissident attacks in Great Britain On 24 September, Home Secretary Theresa May says an attack on Britain by "Irish-related" terrorists is a "strong possibility".



She was speaking as MI5 raised the country's threat level.



The British and Irish governments again insist they are not holding talks with the dissidents.



The head of MI5 tells a meeting of security professionals in London that the threat from dissident republicans is rising.



Jonathan Evans said MI5 could not rule out the possibility of dissidents extending their attacks to Great Britain.



August 2010

Three children suffer minor injuries when a bomb explodes in a bin in Lurgan's North Street on 14 August.



The bomb went off at a junction where police would have been expected to put up a cordon around the school. The explosion injured the children after it blew a hole in a metal fence.

Three children were hurt after a bomb exploded in a bin in Lurgan Three other alerts in the town were declared elaborate hoaxes.



Chief Inspector Sam Cordner said the attack had "stark similarities" to the 1998 Omagh atrocity.



Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness tells the BBC the British government has talked to dissident republicans in recent weeks,



He also says the Irish government had been meeting with dissidents for years.



A booby trap partially explodes under the car of a former policeman in Cookstown, County Tyrone, on 10 August.



The man was unhurt in the attack, but it is the first time one of the latest series of booby-trap bombs detonates.



A bomb is found under the car of a Catholic policewoman in Kilkeel in County Down on 8 August.



It is believed the device fell off the car before being spotted by the officer.



Irish police investigating dissident republican activity arrest five men in County Louth on the same day.



Guns, ammunition and balaclavas are found in two cars during the operation.



A booby-trap bomb was found in the driveway of a soldier's house in Bangor On 4 August, booby trap bomb is found under a soldier's car in Bangor.



It is thought the device could have been planted by dissident republicans close to the base where he was stationed and he drove home without it being detected.



It then fell off and he discovered it as he was about to leave his home.



A car that exploded outside a police station in Londonderry contained 200lb of homemade explosives.



No-one was injured in the attack which happened on 3 August but several businesses were badly damaged in the blast.



July 2010

On 28 July, an 18-year-old man is abducted in west Belfast and driven two miles away to the Lenadoon estate where he is shot in both legs.



A bomb blast in Belleeks was thought to be an attempt to lure police Police say a shooting at a house in Londonderry on 26 July could be linked to the vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs.



Three men and a woman were in the property at Dunmore Gardens when four masked men forced their way in and fired two shots.



Four men and a teenage boy are arrested on the Falls Road in west Belfast following an attempted paramilitary shooting at a house in the St James' area.



The five are later charged with terrorism offences.



The remains of an exploded pipe bomb are found in the grounds of a west Belfast police station on 22 July.



The device was discovered at Woodbourne PSNI station on the Stewartstown Road.



A bomb explodes between Belleeks and Cullyhanna in south Armagh, blowing a crater in the road and damaging a stone bridge on 10 July.



Police view it as an attempt to lure them into the area in order to carry out a follow-up ambush.



Dissident republicans are blamed for organising two nights of sustained rioting in the Broadway and Bog Meadows areas of west Belfast on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 July.



Later rioting on 11, 12, 13 and 14 July in south and north Belfast, Lurgan and Londonderry is also believed to have involved dissidents.



Dissidents were believed to have organised riots in Belfast Scores of police officers were injured during the violence, which featured gun attacks, petrol bombs and other missiles being thrown.



Five men are arrested after police stop three cars near Omeath in County Louth on 10 July.



Irish police suspect they were trying to move explosives across the border.



One man is charged, while four others were released while a file is prepared for the DPP.



Shots are fired at Crossmaglen PSNI station on 2 July.



Dissident republicans said they were behind two similar attacks in December and January.



June 2010



Paul McCaugherty was found guilty of trying to import weapons On 30 June, two men are convicted of attempting to import weapons and explosives for use by dissident republicans.



Paul McCaugherty, 43, of Beech Court in Lurgan and Dermot Declan Gregory of Concession Road in Crossmaglen, were caught in an MI5 sting operation.



A Belfast court heard McCaugherty handled over bundles of euros in a specially adapted bag to an undercover agent, saying he needed "explosives, pistols, AK-47s, armour-piercing stuff, snipers, cords and detonators".



Both are to be sentenced in September.



May 2010



A suspected bomb factory was found near Dundalk A report by the Independent Monitoring Commission on 26 May says dissidents "remain highly active and dangerous".



It said the threat was "very serious" but they were not able to mount a campaign like the Provisional IRA.



Two men are charged with explosives offences after the discovery of an alleged dissident bomb-making factory near Dundalk on 22 May.



Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says the find foiled an attack in Northern Ireland.



April 2010



A bomb outside Crossmaglen police station was defused A car bomb explodes outside Newtownhamilton police station, injuring two people.

Local residents also report hearing gunshots before the blast.



Police chiefs say the threat from dissident republicans is higher than at any time since the Omagh bomb almost 12 years ago.



Senior police officers believe rival factions in the Real IRA and Continuity IRA have increased co-operation and stepped up recruitment.



There are five pipe bomb attacks on houses in the west of Northern Ireland in a week - two of them claimed by a group calling itself Republican Action Against Drugs.



A car bomb is defused outside Newtownhamilton police station in south Armagh on Tuesday 13 April.



A bomb in a hijacked taxi explodes outside Palace Barracks in Holywood on Monday 12 April - the day policing and justice powers are transferred to Northern Ireland.



One man suffers minor injuries.



A two-day protest by dissident republicans at Maghaberry Prison ends on Easter Tuesday. The prisoners had barricaded themselves into a dining room.



Police say a car bomb left outside Crossmaglen on Easter Saturday night could have killed or seriously injured anyone in the area. The bomb - made up of a number of flammable containers - was made safe by Army experts.



On 12 April, the Real IRA leaves a no-warning car bomb outside MI5's Northern Ireland headquarters at Palace Barracks in Holywood, County Down.



The blast is timed for the same day that policing and justice powers are devolved from Westminster to Stormont. An elderly man walking near the Army base at the time of the explosion is treated in hospital for minor injuries, but the bomb causes little damage.



March 2010

Dissidents were also blamed for a series of alerts in Belfast, Londonderry and on the railway line in south Armagh, which caused major traffic disruption on Friday 19 March.



Shots were fired at police investigated the railway alert, although no-one was injured.



February 2010



Kieran Doherty was murdered by the Real IRA On 24 February, the naked and bound body of 31-year-old Kieran Doherty was found close to the Irish border near Derry.



The Real IRA said it killed Mr Doherty who, it said, was one of its members. Forensic psychologists believe that the men who carried out the murder are sex criminals due to the nature of the murder, it has been traditional for terrorist groups to facilitate sex criminals within their ranks.



Dissidents are also believed to have been behind a number of mutilation-shootings in the city in recent months.



Two days earlier a bomb damaged the gates of Newry courthouse.



Officers were evacuating the area when the bomb went off. Police said it was a miracle no-one was killed.



February had begun with Irish Police stopping a suspected attack by dissident republicans in County Donegal.



A car was stopped at Cooladawson, near Stranorlar, and a man arrested.



Three other men who were in the car ran off across fields. A gun was also recovered.



In Belfast, 40 families were moved from their homes after a pipe bomb was thrown at a police station.



Dissidents were also suspected of being involved in organising rioting in the Craigavon area at the end of the month.



Newry Courthouse was damaged in a bomb attack In Cork, cash, drugs and a number of suspected imitation guns were seized during a major operation targeting dissident republican paramilitaries.



The operation followed a claim from the Real IRA that it shot dead a convicted drug dealer in Cork on 20 January.



There was widespread condemnation in Londonderry over a campaign by the 32 County Sovereignty Movement.



The group, regarded as the Real IRA's political wing, said it would picket shops that deal with the police in protest at stop and search tactics.



January 2010

A 33-year-old Catholic police officer was seriously injured in a dissident republican car bomb about a mile from his home in Randalstown, County Antrim.



A PSNI spokesman said it was too early to say which group was behind the attack.



The family of a Londonderry shopkeeper who sells smoking paraphernalia and "legal highs" said they believe he was shot and injured by dissident republicans on 27 January because of his business. It is well known that the Real IRA are involved in profiting from drug dealing.



On the last day of the month the Real IRA opened fire on a police station in County Armagh.



No-one was injured in the attack in Bessbrook, but Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy said he condemned "this act of wanton intent and murder".



December 2009

Shots are fired at Crossmaglen police station on 30 December. No-one is injured.



November 2009



The car contained a 400lb bomb which partially exploded The body set up to monitor paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland said dissident republicans were more active than at any time in the last four and a half years.



The Independent Monitoring Commission published its 20th report which said dissidents were directing their efforts to kill PSNI officers.



Dissident republicans were also blamed for leaving a car containing a 400lb bomb outside the Policing Board's headquarters in Belfast.



The car, which had been driven through a barrier by two men who then ran off, burst into flames when the device partially exploded.



On the same night, shots were fired during an undercover police operation in the County Fermanagh village of Garrison in what police described as an attempt to kill a trainee PSNI officer.



Five men were arrested by police on both sides of the border.



Two of the men, a former Irish army reservist and an unsuccessful council election candidate, were later charged with attempted murder.



One of Northern Ireland's highest profile judges moved out of his Belfast home over fears of a dissident republican threat against him.



Mr Justice Treacy's £650,000 house was bought under the Housing Executive's Special Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings (Sped) scheme.



October 2009

Four men dressed in paramilitary style uniform and black masks fired a volley of shots has been fired over the coffin of a dissident republican who had committed suicide in a Derry police station.



Masked men fired a volley of shots over John Brady's coffin. It was believed that John Brady had taken his own life at Strand Road police station days earlier.



The dissident republican vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) claimed responsibility for shooting and injuring a 27-year-old man in Londonderry.



One of the police officers who went to the scene of the gun attack was knocked unconscious after he was hit on the head with a lump of concrete.



The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr said police had warned him that dissident republicans were planning to murder him.



Mr Paisley, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said officers contacted him to inform him of the foiled attack.



A police officer's partner was injured when a bomb exploded under her car in east Belfast.



The 38-year-old was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway of a house in the east of the city when the device exploded.



In the same month a bomb exploded inside a Territorial Army base in north Belfast.



The police confirmed that "some blast damage" had occurred inside the base off the Antrim Road and shrapnel from the overnight explosion was found in neighbouring streets.



September 2009

The PSNI said a 600lb bomb left near the Irish border in south Armagh was intended to kill its officers.



The bomb was defused by the army near the village of Forkhill.



Days later the Real IRA claimed responsibility for placing two explosive devices near their homes of a policeman's relatives in Derry.



The first device exploded outside his parents' home while a second device, which was found outside his sister's home, was taken away for examination by the army.



August 2009

A group of armed and masked men, believed to be from a faction of the Real IRA, set up a roadblock in the south Armagh village of Meigh.



They handed out leaflets warning people against co-operating with the security forces on either side of the border.



July 2009

Sinn Fein blamed the Real IRA for orchestrating rioting in north Belfast. At least one shot was fired at police and two blast bombs were thrown.



Dissident republican protesters disrupted a meeting of the District Policing Partnership in Derry.



June 2009

Conor Murphy, a Sinn Fein MP and minister in Northern Ireland's devolved administration, blamed dissident republicans for an arson attack on his home in south Armagh.



May 2009

Dissident republicans were suspected of involvement in a petrol bomb attack on the Derry home of senior Sinn Fein member Mitchel McLaughlin.



April 2009

The Real IRA in Londonderry said it shot a convicted rapist in the legs, one of a series of such attacks in Derry during this time. While the Real IRA have sex criminals within their ranks they carry out such attacks to distract from their own criminality.



Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, said dissident republicans had threatened to kill him.



March 2009



Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey died in the attack Two young soldiers were shot dead as they collected pizzas outside Massereene Barracks in County Antrim.



Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey were killed just hours before they were due to be deployed to Afghanistan.



The Real IRA was blamed for this attack.



Within 48 hours a policeman, Stephen Carroll, was shot dead in Craigavon.



He was the first police officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland since 1998.



Paul Williams Execution ordered: The Real IRA in Dublin have ordered the execution of News of the World journalist Mr Paul Williams. A contract has been issued for the execution of under-world crime journalist Paul Williams. Mr Williams bravely confronted gunman Alan Ryan at his Carlow hid away this week and Alan Ryan is determined to make Mr Williams pay for that intrusion.

Alan Ryan who is one of two brothers leading a drug dealing gang in Dublin calling themselves the Real IRA and who have been responsible for acts of brutality and murder have vowed to continue to bring violence and death to the streets of Dublin including the death of Mr Paul Williams. Alan Ryan divides his time between bringing death and destruction to the Streets of Dublin and sneaking off three days per week to spend time with a woman who has a child to him in Carlow. While in Carlow, Alan Ryan, who has no official means of income, spends lavish sums of money in the local pubs and clubs, however, locals are not aware that Ryan’s money is blood money generated from the broken bodies of vulnerable men, women and children in Dublin.

PSNI Officers has found a second haul of bomb making equipment in County Armagh as they continue their crack down on dissident criminals. The second haul was found last night as PSNI officers working in co-operation with the Gardai continued to search in the border area near Keady. The Irish Observer has been warning now for a number of weeks that ‘dissidents’ were preparing a massive campaign of bombings and shootings to mark the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Dublin. The ‘dissidents’ are top heavy with former Provisional IRA members and have in their possession over 200 guns that were allegedly decommissioned under the ‘watchful’ eye of the International decommissioning body.

The dissidents have also possession of 400lb of high explosive and un-quantified amounts of various ammunition, with the exception of a few small arms this entire haul belonged to the Provisional IRA, although it is thought that political pressure is insuring that the results of ballistic testing on the weapons already captured by the Gardai and PSNI is not being made public.

The Real IRA in Dublin (cover name for major drug dealing gang) are preparing violent demonstrations against the Queens Visit to Dublin, while their counter-parts in the north will step up their bombing and shooting campaign. The Real IRA in Dublin have in their possession a light 50 snipping rifle.

The new ‘dissident’ grouping ‘The IRA’ in Tyrone intends to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of IRA Hunger Striker Bobby Sands (5th May) and the anniversary of Loughgall (8 IRA members executed by the SAS 8th May 1986) with a bombing spectacular. This new grouping has been training and making bombs in rural bog-land in County Monaghan.

Previous up-dates

Provisional IRA members have now established a new terrorist organisation and have claimed the murder of PSNI officer Ronan Kerr in Omagh. The new terrorist group have access to guns and explosives that were allegedly decommissioned. The news comes as the Gardai and PSNI crack down on dissident terrorist activity. However, the dissidents remain determined to carry out further attacks in the coming weeks and intend to bring violence to the streets of Dublin when Queen Elizabeth visits Dublin 17-20th May 2011.

It is known that the Real IRA in Dublin has secured a light 50 snipping rifle from dissident terrorists in south Armagh. The weapon has been entrusted to two brothers who lead the drug dealing Real IRA in Dublin. The two brothers were taught in weapons handling at a secret shooting range in County Meath.

A 33-year-old man who was arrested by PSNI detectives investigating the dissident republican murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court in Co Tyrone today.

Gavin Coyle (33) was charged with possession of firearms and explosives with intent to endanger life and possession of articles likely to be of use in terrorism.

Police have found a large quantity of bomb-making equipment during a joint Garda-PSNI investigation into dissident republican activity in Co Armagh.

Officers involved in the operation carried out a number of searches in the south of the county following yesterday's seizure of arms and ammunition near Keady.

Police said a 'large quantity' of suspected bomb-making equipment was found during a series of searches today. No arrests were made and investigations are ongoing.

Three people are still in custody after a haul of guns and ammunition, described by police as 'substantial', was recovered yesterday after a vehicle was stopped and searched.

The three men arrested were at the scene, near Keady, Co Armagh, and were taken for questioning to the PSNI's serious crimes suite in Antrim.

The arrests came as the PSNI issued a warning that dissident republicans are intent on murdering more of its police officers “in the coming days and weeks”.

The police service took the unusual step yesterday evening of issuing a statement urging the public to be vigilant for such attacks over Easter.

The warning to policemen was issued last night after a new dissident grouping, reported to be comprised of former Provisional IRA members, said it murdered Constable Kerr in Omagh three weeks ago.

The new group styling itself “the IRA” said it was responsible for the “recent execution of the RUC (sic) member in Omagh”.

In a statement to yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph it also said it was planning more killings and bombings. It said it was totally separate from other dissident groups such as the Real IRA/Óglaigh na hÉireann and the Continuity IRA.

The PSNI asked the “public to be particularly vigilant over the Easter holiday period due to the severe threat level posed by terrorists”.

“Dissident terrorist groups are continuing to identify officers and target them with the single objective of killing them. And, in so doing, their reckless actions will also put the lives of our wider communities at risk,” said a spokeswoman.

“Police believe terrorist groups are intent on trying to murder officers in the coming days and weeks. And while police will be taking all appropriate and legitimate steps to minimise this threat, they are asking for the public’s co-operation, assistance and forbearance as they do so.”

She made clear that Northern Ireland was likely to experience disruptive security activity over the holiday to resist the dissident threat.

“The public will see an increased visible police presence over the coming days and weeks and we ask for their patience with their officers if they are inconvenienced due to police activity,” she said.

Police urged anyone who saw suspicious activity to report it to the PSNI. “If you see anything which does not look right or causes you concern, please contact police.”

Police investigating the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr have charged a man with terrorism offences.

The suspect (33) is accused of possession of firearms and explosives with the intent to endanger life and possession of articles likely to be of use in terrorism.

Constable Kerr (25) died earlier this month when a booby trap bomb exploded under his car in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

The suspect will appear at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court, Tyrone, tomorrow.

At the time of the killing police blamed dissident republicans for targeting the Catholic officer.

The device exploded as he got into his car to go to work, yards from where participants in a fun run had earlier passed by.

This is the first individual to be charged. Two others were released earlier this week.

Separately, a newly dissident Republican group is reported to have admitted murdering Mr Kerr.

Today's Belfast Telegraph newspaper says the group is made up of former members of the IRA.

It said it had seen a statement issued by the group in which it threatens to continue a campaign of violence to try to end what it described as "British occupation".



Real IRA Dublin Real IRA Murder of Queen Elizabeth

A leading crime gang in Dublin who have been responsible for a number of shootings and murders in recent months, and who call themselves the Real IRA have secured a light 50 snipping rifle from dissident criminals in south Armagh in preparation for planned violence that will mark the Visit to Dublin of Queen Elizabeth of England 17-20 May 2011. The Real IRA in Dublin are now one of the main gangs profiting from drug dealing and racketeering and use a flag of convenience to justify their criminal activity.

Earlier this week three people were arrested after ammunition was seized in a pub ordered to remove a 40ft banner barring the Queen of England during her state visit to Ireland.

A source confirmed that pub owner John Stokes – father of Celtic player Anthony Stokes – was among those arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms.

Last month, a judge ordered Mr Stokes to remove his controversial sign from outside the Players Lounge in the north Dublin suburb of Fairview, and not to erect another one.

Gardaí raided the pub at around 10am 8/4/2011 as part of an operation targeting dissident republican and organised criminal activity in the capital.

A handful of bullets found in a shed at the back of the pub have been taken away for ballistic tests and it understood Mr Stokes was arrested at the scene.

A number of private houses were also searched in the Donaghmede area in a crackdown involving more than 100 officers, including the force’s special detective unit.

Another two people - a man and a woman - were also arrested during the operation and all three were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

They were questioned at Store Street, Bridewell and Whitehall Garda stations.

The raids were linked to an investigation into a long-running turf war between the Real IRA and other drugs gangs in Dublin.

The bitter rivals are battling for supremacy in a protection racket and drug dealing empire targeting pubs and clubs in Dublin.

Last July, three men, including a doorman and two customers, were gunned down outside the Players Lounge.

Cocaine was also recovered during searches on 8/4/2011.

The two men arrested, aged 54 and 46, and the woman, aged 55, were held under section 30 of the offences against the state act.

Mr Stokes, 54, said last month that he reluctantly agreed to take down the massive anti-Queen banner after a senior Garda threatened to object to his application for late licences.

The publican said the livelihoods of his 12 staff members would be at risk if he did not get the licence extensions.

But outside Dublin District Court he vowed to continue his protest against the Queen.

This week, it was confirmed that the state visit to Ireland will take in a tour of several historically significant sites including Croke Park – the scene of a massacre by British troops – and Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance – which honours all those who fought for Irish freedom.

The trip, from May 17 to 20, will be the first by a British sovereign to the Republic of Ireland. It is known that the Real IRA in Dublin and other dissident groupings are planning street protests, however, it is also known that dissident terrorists will unite to launch a new wave of terrorists attacks in the North. These attacks were flagged by The Irish Observer at the beginning of 2011. The Real IRA Dublin have sought and secured a light 50 snipping rifle from dissidents in South Armagh that rifle has been trusted to two brothers whom lead the Real IRA in Dublin. While it is not known what the exact intention of the Real IRA in Dublin is in relation to the use of the snipping rifle, it is rumoured that an attempt will be made on the life of Queen Elizabeth or those who protect her.

Bombing capacity improves as more Provo Engineers join Dissident Ranks

Police in Northern Ireland have confirmed that a van at the centre of a major security alert close to the border yesterday contained a 'very substantial' bomb.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out on the vehicle found at a section of the main road between Belfast and Dublin, near Newry, after which officers confirmed a viable device had been found.

Confirmation that a bomb was discovered in Newry comes after motorists drove through the scene yesterday morning, unaware that a security alert was under way because traffic cones placed by police had been moved.

No further details were available, but the incident comes as detectives continue to question three men over the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr.

A 33-year-old man was detained in the Omagh area yesterday over the booby trap bomb attack that killed the 25-year-old Catholic officer outside his home in the Co Tyrone town last week.

Police were yesterday also given five more days to question a 26-year-old man arrested in Scotland on Wednesday and re-arrested on Thursday, plus a 40-year-old man arrested near Omagh on Thursday.

The under-car bomb that killed Constable Kerr was blamed on dissident republicans who remain violently opposed to the peace process. The Irish Observer had warned at the beginning of 2011 that under car bombs would be used in the coming moths, as such devices are easy to place, The Irish Observer also gave clear instructions as to how such attacks could be avoided.

It has also emerged that the groups are continuing to target policemen in the wake of his murder.

Senior police sources have said the public outcry following the young officer’s death has had no influence on the mindset of extremists, who remain focused on killing members of the security forces.

Detectives have evidence the dissidents have been actively targeting PSNI personnel since the weekend murder.

Officers do not want the nature of the intelligence to be made public for investigative reasons, but they say murder plots are being uncovered at a rate of one a fortnight.

One PSNI source added: “There is absolutely no indication the community outrage has had any impact on the mindset of the dissidents.”

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the murder of Constable Kerr.

But officers have indicated that increasing links and co-operation between disparate organisations means a specific claim is not as relevant to their investigation as it might once have been.

They believe there are nearly as many as 30 distinct groupings operating across Northern Ireland, some claiming to be the Real IRA, some Continuity IRA, some from Oglaigh na hEireann, with other groups claiming no affiliation at all.

The Irish Observer would reiterate that which has been said here time and again, young Catholics joining the PSNI must make the security of their colleagues and themselves a key priority. Do not discuss your career choice while out socialising, which has happened and which has resulted in officers being targeted. Insure that you are stationed in an area where you are unlikely to be recognised, park your car in a garage at night and carry out the checks that you have been instructed to do. There will be at least another six booby trap car bomb attacks in 2011.

Real IRA Dublin Real IRA Who Are They?

Alan Ryan (30) was arrested and quizzed earlier this year about the brutal murder of Sean Winters outside Portmarnock DART station Sunday 12th September 2010.

He was one of 10 people lifted by detectives investigating the gangland-style execution. He was later released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP.

It is believed Winters was shot by a Real IRA terror gang waging war with other crime/drug gangs in Dublin.

The group is also suspected of the attempted hits on gangland godfather Eamon Kelly (63) last Saturday and his associate Brian O'Reilly (41) in August.

The gang, which is viewed as criminal rather than political, is trading on the name of the Real IRA to demand money from drug dealers across Dublin.

Gardai are investigating claims that criminals have come together to take out the gang.

A group calling themselves the Criminal Action Force contacted a newspaper to claim responsibility for the murder of dissident-linked hitman Daniel Gaynor in Finglas over the summer, and a shooting at the Player's Lounge pub where three innocent men were hit in a case of mistaken identity.

Criminals:

The group claimed the Real IRA has extorted €425,000 from criminals in the past year.

They also said they have drawn up a hit-list of 12 Real IRA members. It is understood criminals from Dublin's north-side are among the most eager to see the demise of the dissident group.

A number of Alan Ryan's associates were arrested in the Winters' probe.

A 31-year-old who is regularly spotted in the company of Ryan and his brother Anthony (34) was also lifted. The man is a director of a security firm and a motor business.

Anthony Ryan has a security license from the Private Security Authority, despite being convicted in connection with terrorist offences. He was not among the 10 people arrested this week.

Others arrested in last week's swoop also have security licenses with the PSA but do not have serious convictions.

The Ryan brothers were arrested when gardai swooped on a Real IRA training camp in Meath 11 years ago. The Ryans were jailed for three years each after the raid.

Meanwhile, another one of the men arrested during the week is a kickboxer in his fifties originally from Kilmore but living in Clare

Hall area in north Dublin.

His 24-year-old daughter was also arrested. Two of his sons, 21 and 28, were also lifted as part of the operation.

Two other men, aged 23 and 24 from Clare Hall and Raheny, and a woman (22) from Donore Avenue - who is dating one of the gang leaders - were also arrested. Other members of the gang who were not picked up include two brothers from Summerhill in Dublin's north inner city.

Those arrested were all released from custody on Tuesday night and a file is being prepared for the DPP. Winters, originally from Donaghmede, was a drug dealer who was part of a major gang operating in an area of Dublin's north-side, stretching from Baldoyle to Coolock.

Suspect

He was the prime suspect in the murder of Anthony Jenkinson (28), who was beaten to death in St Anne's Park, Raheny, in April 2001 in a dispute over drug money.

His cousin Noel Deans was shot dead in Coolock in January and he had spoken about getting revenge for that killing.

The Real IRA gang was among the suspects in that killing. It is also understood that Winters developed a bad drug habit in recent times and tried to take his own life on two occasions.

He was an associate of former gang leader David 'Babyface' Lindsay (38) and Alan Napper (39) who are missing presumed dead.

Lindsay had become involved in a dispute with the gang boss known as The Panda. He planned to have his rival murdered but was double-crossed by the hit-man. Traces of blood belonging to Lindsay and Napper were discovered in a house in Co Down but their bodies have yet to be found.

Criminals already tried to take out members of the renegade Real IRA gang at the Player's Lounge Pub in Fairview over the summer, but three innocent people were shot instead.

One of the gang who had been in the pub at the time had been outside for a cigarette but returned inside just before a gunman opened fire on innocent doorman Wayne Barrett in a case of mistaken identity.

Part of a bullet is lodged in his brain and he is unlikely to ever recover from his injuries. Two customers were also injured in the indiscriminate attack.

That shooting, which was claimed by the shadowy CAF last week, was believed to be linked to the death of an armed robber in Dublin last year.

Gareth Molloy was shot dead by gardai during an attempted raid. He only took part in the raid to raise money to pay compensation to a man connected to dissidents.

Molloy bit part of the ear off an associate of the Ryan brothers during a fight in the Player's Lounge around St Patrick's Day last year.

But the bite victim informed Molloy that he had to pay €6,000 in compensation or he would be killed for the attack. It was this demand that led to him taking part in a robbery in Lucan in May last year where he was shot by gardai after firing first and ignoring calls to put down his weapon. His associates vowed revenge.

The attack on Daniel Gaynor was revenge for the shooting of Collie Owens in Finglas in July. Gaynor was the hitman in the Owens murder, which may have been ordered by the Real IRA.

As well as being suspected of attacks on Eamon Kelly and Brian O'Reilly, the gang is also understood to have targeted two notorious criminals from Finglas.

The gang called to their mother's home over the summer in a move which infuriated the pair who were not in the house at the time.

Other associates of The Panda are involved in a separate feud which claimed three lives last year. David 'Fred' Lynch (26), Tommy Joyce (20) and John 'BJ' Clarke (21) were murdered in separate attacks linked to the feud.

Clarke's brother Jamie (22) was targeted in an assassination attempt in Coolock in the early hours of Friday morning.

The father-of-one was lucky to escape with his life after a gunman fired a number of shots at him outside a pal's house on Adare Road around 1.30am, hitting him in the leg.

Incident

He was talking to John Paul Brennan outside the house where a party was being held when the gunman approached and fired at least eight shots, one hitting Clarke in the leg.

A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting in the area shortly after the incident. He was held at Ballymun Garda Station. Clarke has not made a complaint about the attack.

Brennan, who was not injured in the attack, was himself targeted in a gun attack in Kinsealy in January 2009.

There is no evidence to suggest the attack on Clarke is linked to Winters' murder.

Background:

Since it began reporting on the activities of terrorist groups in Ireland in 2003, the Independent Monitoring Commission has tracked the activities of the self-styled 'dissident' terror groups such as the 'Real' IRA and the 'Continuity' IRA.

In all its reports in the last few years, the Commission has repeated that the 'dissidents' are heavily involved in crime, primarily tiger kidnapping, armed robbery, extortion and smuggling. In its 21st report, issued earlier this year, the Independent Monitoring Commission also said the 'Continuity' IRA was involved in "brothel keeping".

Gardai in Dublin now see these groups as centrally involved in organised crime, including the murders of ordinary criminals who have refused to pay their extortion demands or who have otherwise crossed them.

Sean Winters, the 42-year-old north Dublin drug dealer who was shot dead as he walked along Station Road in Portmarnock last Sunday night is, ostensibly, a victim of republican gunmen. There was no political motivation whatsoever in his murder by the 'Continuity' IRA. He was murdered as part of a turf war over the distribution and sale of drugs in north Dublin.

The dissidents have completed the journey by republicans in Ireland from self-sacrificing idealists to pure criminals, in the same way that the republican revolutionaries of mid-19th Century Italy moved from the ideals of Guiseppe Garibaldi to the entirely criminal mafioso.

The same journey in Ireland began in the dying days of the Provisional IRA. Its members, particularly the Dublin-based brigade, moved from vigilantism against drug dealers to accepting bribes from particular drug gangs and then to carrying out assassinations of rivals to their dealers. Within a decade of Sinn Fein and the IRA leading marches of Concerned Parents Against Drugs to the homes of heroin dealers, the same people were heavily involved in the drug industry while still trading under the name of the Provisional IRA.

The Provos shot dead Joseph Foran, 38, a notorious gangster and heroin dealer, in Finglas in February 2000, not because of his involvement in the drug trade but because he refused to pay their extortion demands. Two months later, they shot dead Thomas Byrne, 41, an innocent man from the north inner city who had stood up to one of the senior Dublin IRA men who was heavily involved in hijacking goods containers from Dublin Docks.

In July 2001, the Dublin IRA shot dead Seamus 'Shavo' Hogan, 40, in south Dublin, passing the murder off as part of its campaign to rid Dublin of career criminals and drug traffickers. Hogan was, in fact, shot because he refused to pay protection and was involved in disputes with another south-side drug gang that was paying money to the IRA.

Joseph Cummins, 48, another career criminal, was shot dead in Tallaght in December 2001 because he too refused to pay up.

While the IRA was murdering to order in Dublin, the other republican terror group, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), which had been the paramilitary wing of the Republican Socialist Party, went headlong into the drug trade and became involved in feuding with Dublin gangs which it sought to control. Over the last decade, the memberships of both organisations in Dublin, and to a considerable degree in Northern Ireland, have merged.

The major shift from token republicanism for the IRA and INLA came in 2005 when the IRA announced the end of its 'armed campaign' and then finally announced its disbandment in 2008.

In response to the disbandment, the dissidents began moving into the crime territory which the Provisional IRA had begun to inhabit. Former Provisional IRA criminals, left with no name to claim, began firstly associating with and then adopting the mantles of the 'Real' and 'Continuity' IRAs. The evolution from the time of the 1981 Maze hunger strikes, when IRA men were prepared to die for the 'cause', to pure criminality has been completed.

Bernard Dempsey, 53, a former senior Provisional IRA man in Dublin and leader of the Concerned Parents Against Drugs in the south inner city in the Eighties, is serving life imprisonment for the murder of innocent James Curran in the Green Lizard Pub in Francis Street in 2005. Dempsey shot his victim dead when Curran confronted Dempsey after he watched him accepting an envelope full of cash from a notorious south city drug gang.

Dempsey transferred his allegiances to the 'Real' IRA and is now serving his sentence in its wing of Portlaoise Prison. His main former Provisional IRA associates in south Dublin now term themselves 'Real' IRA also. They have close links with the drug syndicate that has grown around the gang headed by the expatriate criminal Freddie Thompson.

On the north side of the Liffey, the former Provisionals are also in league with the dissidents and with the drug gangs. The former IRA gang which assassinated another innocent Dubliner, Joseph Rafferty, 28, in April 2004, is involved in the northside feuding that has been running for the past four years since the imprisonment for life of Christy Griffin for the rape of his partner's young daughter. Former IRA and INLA members are also involved in the latest round of feuding which started with the murder of gang boss Eamon Dunne, shot dead at the Fassaugh House pub in Cabra in April.

Gardai believe he was murdered by members of his own gang who thought he was plotting to kill them. The gang has split and the resulting turf war has drawn in the dissidents. So far there have been two deaths and four people seriously injured.

One of the most remarkable changes to have taken place among the republicans is that the new generation are drug takers as well as dealers. Last month witnesses told gardai that the young gunman who opened fire, with a gun in each hand, on the Players Lounge pub in Fairview, seriously injuring the innocent doorman and two customers, was "high as a kite".

As is almost universal with drug gangs, the dissidents are prone to splitting and feuding. There are dissident elements on both sides in the current feud in north Dublin.

Gardai say that the names 'Continuity' and 'Real' are apparently interchangeable. The group involved in the assassination of Sean Winters last week is currently using the name 'Continuity', but five years ago it was terming itself 'Real' and part of the group led by the founder of the Real IRA, Michael McKevitt.

Prisoners on the dissident wing in Portlaoise Prison regularly fall out with each other. Last year one of the prisoners who had been the 'officer commanding' on the Real IRA landing was apparently expelled amid accusations of cocaine dealing. The 'republicans' are believed to be the main source of drugs and mobile phones coming into the jail for ordinary prisoners.

The dissidents were also behind the campaign of arson and grenade attacks on head shops. They carried out the attacks, gardai believe, as part of their 'protection' duties for the drug dealers.

Outside Dublin, the same patterns have emerged. In Derry and the north-west, they have been carrying out a campaign of shooting drug dealers who refuse to pay them protection. In Newry and the Border area, where some of the 'Real' IRA now term themselves 'Republican Action Against Drugs', local people say the young members are mainly heavy drug users. One 'Continuity' group with members in the Dundalk, Dublin and Limerick areas is heavily involved in prostitution and the trafficking of young women from Eastern Europe where they have established links with cigarette gangs.

In Dublin last week, one Continuity group issued a statement disavowing those (former 'Real' IRA now terming themselves 'Continuity') members responsible for the murder of Sean Winters.

Senior Garda sources say it seems unlikely that the downward drift into criminality will be reversed. The exposure of the Provisional IRA's drift into crime in Dublin was one of the main reasons for the erosion of Sinn Fein's electoral base in traditional working-class areas. The dissidents do not have any public support and no political wing or electoral base on which to build a political movement. Without this, they have become criminal groups merging with ordinary criminal gangs and being drawn into their feuds.

Names

A 28-year-old man has appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court in connection with terrorist activity. 30th April 2011

Michael Patrick Johnston from the New Lodge Road in north Belfast is charged with having four timer power units for the purpose of terrorist activity.

Lurgan man Paul McCaugherty is jailed for 20 years for a dissident republican gun smuggling plot which was uncovered after an MI5 sting operation.

McCaugherty was found guilty of attempting to import weapons and explosives.

Dermot Declan Gregory from Crossmaglen, was found guilty of making a Portuguese property available for the purpose of terrorism. He was sentenced to four years.

Gerard McGarrigle, 46, from Mount Carmel Heights in Strabane was sentenced to five years in prison.

Desmond Donnelly, 58, from Drumall, Lisnarick, Fermanagh and Jim Murphy, 63, from Floraville in Enniskillen, were given three years and nine months.

Des Dalton, President

Fergal Moore, Geraldine Taylor, Vice-Presidents

Joe O'Neill, Life Vice-President

Josephine Hayden, Líta Ní Chathmhaoil, General Secretaries

John O'Connor, Peig King, National Treasurers

Richard Walsh, Publicity Officer

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Patron