Thurles Information

A ‘Real IRA’ leader, Mr Seamus McGrane, latter who plotted an explosion during the State visit of Prince Charles to Ireland, back in 2015, died yesterday in Portlaoise prison.

The 63-year-old Mr McGrane died from a suspected heart attack, while serving an 11-and-a-half year prison sentence for directing terrorism.

In 2015, Mr McGrane had been remanded in custody, to appear before a Saturday sitting of a non-jury Special Criminal Court, together with two other named individuals; Mr Donal Ó Coisdealbha (then aged 23) and Mr Dylan Cahill (then aged 22).

The latter, Mr Dylan Cahill, who held an address at No.102 Lower Irishtown, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, was also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, latter styling itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Oglaigh na hEireann.

Mr Cahill pleaded guilty to the possession of a .380 calibre Colt semi-automatic pistol and four rounds of .380 calibre ammunition at Sradrine, Glefarne, Co Leitrim on May 13th, 2015. He also pleaded guilty at the non-jury Special Criminal Court to the possession of two improvised explosive devices, or pipe-bombs, at the same place and on the same date.

Mr Cahill was sentenced to six years in jail with the final year suspended. A subsequent appeal of this sentence was later dismissed.

The Late Mr McGrane, was convicted of IRA membership back in 2017; becoming the second person, only, to be convicted for directing terrorism within the State; the other person being Mr Michael McKevitt, latter sentenced in 2003, to twenty years imprisonment.