Gardai were last night trying to trace a Co Kilkenny man and his two young sons following the discovery of the body of the man's wife at their home at Coolapogue near the village of Cuffsgrange.
The body was discovered yesterday when a relative called to the family's bungalow at about 3.10 p.m. after apparently becoming concerned at getting no response from the house.
She called local gardai, who forced their way into the house. The woman, aged 34 was found lying on the livingroom floor. There were signs of injuries, but the cause of death will not be known until later today when a post-mortem examination takes place. It was unclear how long she had been dead.
The husband, in his 40s, and their two sons aged six and 10 have not been seen since Monday. Detectives said they were concerned for the safety of the boys, believed to be travelling with their father in a white Ford Escort car.
Chief Supt Sean O'Halloran, of the Waterford-Kilkenny Division, said last night gardai wished to hear from anyone who could help them find the man and his two sons.
The registration number of the family's white van is 94-WX-2953. Anyone with information is asked to telephone Kilkenny Garda station at 056-22222.
The man, who worked in Kilkenny, and his family have lived in Cuffsgrange for several years. The village is four miles outside Kilkenny on the road to Clonmel.
The area has been sealed off, and members of the Garda Technical Bureau are conducting forensic tests. The State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, is expected to carry out a post-mortem this morning.
Gardai were last night trying to make contact with staff at the boys' school to establish whether they had been in class since the weekend.
