Gardaí are searching for a number of men near Kilkenny city this afternoon after a foiled post office raid.
Two men are in custody after a high-speed chase but the Garda Dog Unit, Air Support Unit and local officers are still searching for a number of men who escaped in the Higgingstown area about three kilometres from Kilkenny.
The incident started at 11.10am when gardaí approached a car which was acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the post office on John Street.
The car drove off at speed and gardaí gave chase. The occupants of the car threw a number of items, including a hammer and balaclava helmets, out of the car during the pursuit.
The car was eventually abandoned in a field at Higginstown where gardai arrested one of the its occupants. A second man who was waiting in another vehicle nearby was also arrested.
However, a number of other men ran off into a nearby wooded area.
Both men arrested are from the Dublin area and are being held in Kilkenny Garda station. One of the cars had been stolen earlier.