Clondalkin man among three charged over firearms seizure

Three man have appeared in court this afternoon charged in relation to the seizure of firearms at an industrial unit in Greenogue Industrial estate near Rathcoole last Tuesday.

Declan Brady (50) of The Park, St Wolstan’s Avenue in Celbridge, County Kildare, James Walsh (33) of Neilstown Drive in Clondalkin, Dublin 22 and Jonathan Harding (44) of Kerdiff Avenue in Naas, County Kildare all face the same three charges.

They are: unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances, the unlawful possession of five handguns and the unlawful possession of a silencer.

None of the men applied for bail, and Judge Anthony Halpin said further serious charges could be brought, but gardai are still awaiting direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The men were ferried to the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin in a convoy of garda vehicles with blacked out windows, while there was also a very heavy garda presence in and around the courthouse.

All three men have been remanded in custody until next Wednesday.

A fourth man arrested in connection with the arms seizure has been released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP.

In total, 15 guns were seized, with ammunition and a significant amount of cash also discovered by gardai at the industrial unit in Greenogue last Tuesday.