A man has died and a teenager seriously injured in a two-vehicle road crash in Co Kilkenny.
The man, who was in his 30s, was removed from the scene and brought to St Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny where he was pronounced dead.
A female teenager who was in the same vehicle was taken by air ambulance to University Waterford Hospital with serious injuries.
The three occupants of the second vehicle - two men aged in their 40s and 60s, and a woman in her 40s, were also taken to St Luke's hospital for medical treatment.
It is believed that their injuries are non-life threatening.
The road will remain closed overnight and local diversions are in place.
Gardaí are also investigating the circumstances of the theft of a vehicle at Green Street, Kilkenny at around 3.30pm this afternoon.
They are appealing for any witnesses, especially those with dashcam footage, who were travelling on the N77 between Kilkenny town and Ballyragget between 3.15pm and 4pm and the Green Street area between 3pm and 3.30pm.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 7775000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
