Thirteen people were brought before Dublin District Court last night, charged in connection with protests in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon.

The 12 men and one woman were brought before a special sitting of the court and charged with breaches of the Public Order Act.

Some of the defendants were charged with multiple breaches of the Act while some face just one charge.

The offences before the court included threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour, failing to comply with the direction of a garda, obstructing a garda and giving a false name or address.

The offences were alleged to have taken place in various locations in the city centre, including Grafton Street and O'Connell street.

The youngest defendants were two 19-year-old men.

The oldest was 59-year-old Fergus Cahill from Shankill in Co Dublin, whose 25-year-old son, Caoilte, was also before the court, with both facing three public order charges each.

The defendants also included 26-year-old twin brothers.

Those before the court also had addresses in Crumlin, Drimnagh, the south and north city centre and Finglas.

One man was homeless, some are not working and others work in various roles such as wheel technician and factory workers.

Six of the 13 wore masks during their appearance in court. 

Judge Michael Walsh granted bail to all of the defendants on conditions, including directing that they abide by Covid-19 regulations, that they stay within their 5km areas and that they do not participate in any unlawful protests.

The judge said the court recognised the right of people to protest but unlawful assembly for an unlawful purpose would not be tolerated.

He granted bail to all of the defendants, most of them on condition that they lodge €100 in cash in court.

They will all be back before Cloverhill District Court next week.

It is understood the DPP is considering whether more serious charges should be preferred against any of the defendants.

Gardaí say seven others were charged with offences and released on station bail.

Three juveniles were released and will be considered for inclusion in the Juvenile Diversion Programme.

The accused are:

Craig Byrne, 23, an apprentice sheet metal worker from Crumlin Road who faces three public order charges; 19-year-old James Moore from Fairways Park, Dublin, who is charged with two offences; 27-year-old Jason Sheridan from Pearse house on Pearse Street, a plumber who is currently receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, is charged with one public order offence.

26-year-old twins Kevin and Stephen Fitzgerald from Newbury Grove in Donaghmede, who are each charged with one count of threatening and abusive behaviour; 43-year-old Joseph Reynolds, of no fixed abode who is charged with one public order count.  

Also charged are 25-year-old Caoilte Cahill from the North Circular Road and his 59-year-old father Fergus Cahill, from Shankill in Co Dublin. They each face three public order charges.

Sean Browne, 21, from Mellowes Park in Finglas who works in a peanut factory and faces a single count of breaching the public order act. 19-year-old Dara Tril, also from Mellowes Park, is charged with two public order offences. John Darby, 29, from Deerpark Lodge in Tallaght, is charged with three public order offences. He told the court he had "committed no crime" and should not be there.

John Lloyd, 19, from Farnham Drive in Finglas, is a wheel technician at a garage and was charged with one public order offence after failing to accept an adult caution offered to him.  24-year-old Joanne Kavanagh from Dolphin Road in Drimnagh faces three public order charges. The court heard she was not working and had no assets. Judge Walsh reduced the amount of cash she had to pay into court to €50 but her solicitor said she had only €20 on her and no family to come to her aid. She was remanded in custody with consent to bail.

All of the defendants will be back before the court next week, most of them on 5 March, via video link at Cloverhill District Court.