Three people have died following a shooting incident in Co Kerry.

Gardaí from Listowel attended the scene at a house in Lixnaw where the bodies were discovered.

The body of a woman, aged in her 60s, and a man, aged in his 20s, were found inside the dwelling, while the body of a second man, aged in his 60s, was discovered outside the rear of the house.

All three bodies had gunshot wounds and gardaí said a firearm was recovered from the scene.

According to The Irish Times, it is believed the incident was a double homicide and suicide, with the three understood to be a husband, wife and son.

The woman's body was discovered in the house by a neighbour shortly after 9pm, at which point the alarm was raised.

The State pathologist and the Garda Technical Bureau have been contacted and the scene is currently preserved.

Investigations are ongoing however gardaí said they are not looking for any other person in relation to the incident at this time.

Acting Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys described the incident as a “truly awful tragedy”.

She tweeted: “The shock and devastation being felt by the family and the community is unimaginable. An Garda Síochána is engaging with the local community and will carry out a full investigation.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. Alternatively, the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at mentalhealthireland.ie/get-support.

In the case of an emergency, or if you or someone you know is at risk, dial 999/112.