A man in his 70s and his two sisters, aged 72 and 65, are recovering following what is being described as a savage attack at their isolated farmhouse in Co Limerick last night.
The pensioners were set upon by two masked men who broke into their home, near the village of Pallasgreen.
The two intruders wore ski masks and were armed with knives and a sword when they broke into the house shortly after 10pm last night.
The three occupants were tied up with cable ties and beaten up, while the raiders ransacked the house.
They also smashed two mobile phones the victims had in the house so it was over two hours before they could alert their brother, who lives on land close by.
He said he believed the raiders may have gained access from a railway line located at the back of the house, as the only other access is through a long narrow laneway close to his house.
Gardaí have taken statments from the victims and are appealing for information from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area in recent days to contact them.
