Emergency services are at the scene of a large fire in County Limerick, which has destroyed two heritage cottages and badly damaged a third.

The blaze took hold in a thatch cottage in Adare Village at around one o'clock this afternoon.

Six fire trucks and three water tankers are attending the scene.

Gardai have closed the village to traffic with the exception of heavy goods vehicles.

The cottages were built in the 1820's by the Dunraven family.