A 47-year-old man whose body was found in Co Offaly yesterday suffered a number of gunshot wounds, gardaí have said.

Gardaí have recovered the religious artefact that was stolen from St Manchan's Church in Boher, Co Offaly yesterday.

A Kildare man has been charged with stalking a former general election running mate of Brian Cowen.

A sophisticated forgery racket was smashed today after gardai arrested four men and raided buildings in Co Laois.

Four men have been arrested in Co Laois, as part of an investigation into the counterfeiting of money.

Gardaí in Tullamore are to resume questioning a man arrested in connection with the death of a Brazilian woman in the town earlier this week.

A man who brutally robbed and killed an 83-year-old man in Co Westmeath last year will be sentenced next week.

A pensioner was found dead in his home in Kilbeggan last year after he was tied up and beaten, having received “blows, punches and kicks” to the face and head, the Central Criminal Court heard today.

An 83-year old pensioner, who was found dead and tied up at his home in Co Westmeath, was beaten to death and robbed of cash, the prosecution claimed today at the trial of the man accused of the pensioner's murder.

THE priest officiating at the funeral mass yesterday of elderly horse trader Christy Hanley, who was tied up and beaten to death in his Co Westmeath home, appealed to the public to aid the murder investigation.

A man died following a suspected hit-and-run in Co Offaly early this morning, gardaí said.