Mairtin Manning arrives in court for a hearing in 2017 Picture: Arthur Carron

Two men - including a grandson of former lord mayor of Dublin Christy Burke - have received sentences totalling 14 years at the Special Criminal Court after they were caught with four kilogrammes of the explosive TNT and a hand grenade in a densely populated area of the capital.

The non-jury court heard that the Army Bomb Disposal Unit was called and 40 premises had to be evacuated after the men were intercepted by gardaí.

Declan McDermott (30) and Mairtin Manning (24) - Mr Burke's grandson - were both jailed for seven years.

The two Dublin men pleaded guilty last month before the three-judge court.

Former lord mayor Mr Burke was in court yesterday seated with the men's families and supporters.

McDermott and Manning had acted as "couriers" and played an important role, commented presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt.

Furthermore, they were trusted by the organisers of these activities, he added.

Irish Independent