A 30-year-old appeared in court in Galway this afternoon in connection with an explosives haul in the county over the weekend.

Oliver Mannion of Renville West, Oranmore faces one charge under the Explosive Substances Act, and was remanded in custody to appear again this Friday.

Local Gardaí and members of the national support unit seized almost 18 kilos of commercial explosives in Oranmore on Saturday as part of an ongoing operation against organised crime.

Four men and a woman were then arrested in Oranmore and Headford.

Oliver Mannion is accused of knowingly having in his possession in suspicious circumstances, explosive substances containing ammonium nitrate.

He applied for bail, but his request was refused by judge Mary Fahy based on the seriousness of the charge.

He was remanded in custody to appear before Harristown Court in Roscommon on Friday.

The woman was released without charged last night, while two of the men remained in custody this afternoon and a fourth was released without charge. A file on his case is to be sent to the DPP.