Magnetic and transport studies were carried out on RIrAl (R = Y, La, Ce, Pr and Nd) compounds which crystallize in the orthorhombic ∈-TiNiSi-type structure. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that CeIrAl is mixed-valent compound with a very high Kondo temperature of ∼ 1300 K. Its resistivity shows no unusual behaviour reminiscent of a gap in electronic density of states. The PrIrAl and NdIrAl compounds are found to have a ferromagnetic ground state with Tcs of 9 and 13 K, respectively, as inferred from magnetic measurements. The electrical resistivity of these two compounds shows a drop at about 8 and 12 K, respectively, consistent with the magnetic ordering, The Y and La analogues of this series exhibit the usual Pauli paramagnetic behaviour, with no superconducting transition down to 2 K. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.