‘BLAYNEY MAN UNSUCCESSFUL IN APPEAL AGAINST IRA MEMBERSHIP CONVICTION

A Castleblayney mechanic has been unsuccessful in his appeal against a conviction for membership of the IRA imposed after a “booster tube” device was located on his property. The Court of Appeal last week rejected all ten grounds of James Joseph Cassidy’s appeal. In its ruling the court found that the evidence against Mr Cassidy, aged 57 and with an address at Tullycollive, Castleblayney, was “particularly cogent” and “compelling”. He was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in March 2019 of membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on September 21, 2016.

During his trial it was stated that members of the Gardaí’s Special Detective Unit had found a black metal pipe, about 40cm in length, with drilled holes in a shed on his land on September 21, 2016. Chief Superintendent Christopher Mangan said that he believed, based on confidential information, that Mr…