ARMED GARDAÍ FOUND a number of suspected members of the Cork Real IRA meeting at a purpose built bunker or camouflaged dugout inside a large woodland, The Journal has learned. 

Yesterday, we reported that two men were arrested during an operation targeting the dissidents – one of those arrested is suspected to be a leading member of the gang. 

It has emerged that gardaí in Cork received information that the group were meeting at the site in the woodland in Carrignavar, which is located on the outskirts of the north side of Cork city. 

Armed Support Unit members and detectives from Crime Special Branch were hiding nearby. Crime Special is a Cork unit dealing with terrorist offences. There were also a number of other gardaí involved. 

It is understood gardaí hastily put specialist members in place in the area overnight under the cover of darkness.  

The Journal has learned that early yesterday morning, gardaí who were dug in nearby spotted a group of men approaching – they were all identified by a surveillance team as members of the city’s Real IRA.

They included senior members of the group based in Cork, including a leading member who is a well-known republican activist.

Armed gardaí moved in to make the arrest and while the gang scattered, two men were spotted.

It is understood they stopped the occupant of the car first and then found a leading member of the gang emerging from over a ditch – it is believed he resisted arrest, but the ASU swiftly subdued him.

He was arrested and received medical treatment in hospital for injuries sustained when he fought with the gardaí.

While it was initially thought there were guns present in the bunker it is now believed there were “items of evidential value” found there. 

Sources said gardaí are confident that there will be further arrests and they have also been carrying out a number of searches today.

Gardaí are continuing to question the two men and they are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act – they can be held for a maximum of three days. 

Extortion

As previously reported by The Journal the Real IRA gang operate on the northside of Cork city and have been suspected by gardaí to be involved in a lucrative fundraising method by forcing drug dealers in the city to pay protection money.

Sources said that the gang has been involved in at least two murders of drug dealers who refused to pay the extortion money.

The small dissident group is led by a man based in the city and backed up by long-time Republican activists who broke away from the Provisional IRA during the peace agreement.

Sources have also said that the group has killed previously with suspicions that two members who act as enforcers for the gang’s leader are suspects for the murder of their one-time colleague Aidan “The Beast” O’Driscoll in 2016.

It is believed that the Cork activities are part of a Real IRA faction that refused to amalgamate into the new organisation.