Ireland car bomb investigation

On 25 July 2026 Irish police intercepted a car bomb on the N2 near Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, recovering a device containing military‑grade Semtex and a detonator. Law student Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25) and museum employee Simon O’Donovan (44) were charged with possession of explosives. Both appeared via videolink; Sullivan was remanded with consent to bail under strict conditions, while O’Donovan’s bail application was refused and he remained in custody.

Three days later, on 28 July 2026, a Cavan District Court judge granted bail to Sullivan. Her bail was set at €15,000 provided by a surety, with requirements to surrender her passport, observe a nightly curfew, keep her phone on, report daily to Naas Garda station and avoid contact with members of Saoradh, the New IRA, or her co‑accused. O’Donovan continued to be detained without bail. Both defendants are scheduled for further hearings and face trial in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

The case marks one of the most significant bomb recoveries in Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement and continues to progress through the judicial system.