Five men have been arrested after what is thought to have been a massive bomb find in Co. Louth.

Gardaí detained the men, aged in their mid 50s to their early 70s, as part of an ongoing operation into the activities of dissident Republicans.

The device was uncovered when gardaí stopped a number of vehicles at Kilcurry near Dundalk, and the Northern Irish border.

They are being detained at Drogheda and Dundalk garda stations under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

It is believed the device was to be used in an attack on the security forces in the north.

The Defence Forces bomb squad will examine the device.

Authorities launched the raid as part of ongoing investigations into dissident Republican activity being carried out by gardaí from Crime & Security and the Special Detective Unit. 

Earlier this month, Samuel Devlin of 144 Golf Suite, Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan was remanded in custody after he was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation - the IRA - and possession of explosives commonly known as 'PETN'.

His court appearance came after the discovery of another huge bomb at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Dublin.