KILKENNY’S HIGH STREET has reopened after a controlled explosion was carried out on a ‘suspect device’.

The device was discovered in the early hours of the morning at ‘Butterslip’ between High Street and Ciaran Street.

The army bomb disposal unit attended the scene shortly after 9.30am and carried out a controlled explosion.

Gardaí arrested one man in his late 50s who is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act 1939 at Kilkenny Garda Station.

A spokesperson for Defence Forces told TheJournal.ie that the suspect device was “a hoax”.

Gardaí confirmed that the cordon in place since early this morning has been lifted, adding that investigations are ongoing.