Two Cork men accused of IRA membership have been refused bail at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

Sean Walsh (aged 50) of St John’s Well, Fair Hill and Joseph Walsh (aged 36) of Glengarriff Road, Fair Hill, Co Cork are both charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh Na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on December 14, 2016.

The State had objected to the men’s bail application.

They were arrested last week in Cork with another man, Michael Gilmartin (aged 46), with an address at Chestnut Drive, Cluain Ard, Newtown in Cobh.

Mr Gilmartin is charged with possession of a semi-automatic, 9mm Walter Pistol, a sawn-off shotgun and 22 rounds of ammunition on December 14, 2016.

He is also charged with membership of the IRA on the same date.

At today’s bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy told Ronan Kennedy BL, for the State, that gardaí were objecting to bail because of the “seriousness” of the charge.

The court also heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin, who said that his objection was based on Section 2A of the Bail Act.

The section allows a Chief Superintendent give evidence that the refusal of bail is necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge Cormac Dunne, said that the evidence of Det Sgt Murphy was “quite sufficient” to refuse bail.

The men were remanded in custody until January 18th next year, when their case is listed for mention again.