Roads in Ireland
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Ireland, both north and south of the border, has an extensive network of roads. Historically, Northern Ireland has had better quality roads, though the difference is less marked nowadays. It is true to say that many rural roads, even in Northern Ireland, remain an 'exciting' ride. For an unforgettable example, drive from Charleville to Macroom in County Cork; all the stereotypical components are present, from road 'surface' and potholes, to junctions and vicious bends (often combined for added thrills). With the advent of European Union funding, most National routes in the Republic continue to be upgraded. In the years from 1990s to the following decade the Republic went from having one motorway in the country, to expanding the motorways to most major routes. This was part of a National Development Plan. Road construction in Northern Ireland has proceeded at a slower pace in recent years, although a number of important bypasses and upgrades to dual carriageway have recently been completed or are about to begin.
Signposts in Northern Ireland denote distances in miles, while all signposts placed in the Republic since the 1970s use kilometres (old signposts in the Republic with miles are still in use). Currently miles per hour speed limits are used north and south of the border, but from 20 January 2005, those in the Republic will be switched to kilometres per hour. All remaining signposts using non-metric distances in the Republic will also be replaced with signs using metric distances.
Roads in the Republic of Ireland
Motorways
In the Republic of Ireland, the most important roads are a small number of motorways, indicated by the prefix "M" followed by one or two digits. The motorway network is focused on Dublin. In all the intercity instances below, the Motorway is only part of the full route, the original route number is listed after. City names in brackets are the destinations served and signposted, but not directly connected to that route. In the Republic of Ireland, motorways inherit the route number of the "N" route they have replaced. In most cases, the bypassed section of road is reclassified as a regional route. New routes, such as the M50, are an exception. The M50 was chosen as a recognisable unique number.
- M1 Dublin - (Belfast) N1 road
- M4 Dublin - Sligo/(Galway) N4 road
- M7 Dublin - Limerick/(Cork)/(Waterford) N7 road
- M9 (Dublin) - Waterford M11 Dublin - Wexford N11 road
- M50 Dublin ring road
National Primary Routes
This category of road has the prefix "N" followed by one or two digits. The most important cross-country roads are numbered in the range N13 - N30, with less important roads having higher numbers. Destinations served but not on the route in question are listed in brackets, with the connecting route also listed. Road signage lists these end destinations, also using brackets and often the connecting route (apart from cross-border destinations, listed normally). This list ignores the sections of route reclassified as motorway (see previous section).
Roads N1 to N11 radiate anti-clockwise from Dublin:
- N1 Dublin - Dundalk - (A1 to Belfast)
- N2 Dublin - Monaghan - (A5 to Derry)
- N3 Dublin - Cavan - (A509 to Enniskillen) - Ballyshannon
- N4 Dublin - Sligo
- N5 (N4 from Dublin) - Longford - Westport
- N6 (N4 from Dublin) - Kinnegad - Galway
- N7 Dublin - Limerick
- N8 (N7 from Dublin) - Portlaoise - Cork
- N9 (N7 from Dublin) - N10 (N9 from Dublin) - Paulstown - Kilkenny - N11 Dublin - Wexford
- N13 (N15 from Sligo) - Stranorlar - Letterkenny - (A2 to Derry)
- N14 Letterkenny - Lifford - (B72 to Strabane)
- N15 Sligo - N17 Galway - Claremorris - N18 (N4, N17 from Sligo) - Claregalway - (N6 from Galway) Oranmore - Ennis - Limerick
- N19 (N18 from Limerick/Ennis) - Shannon Town - Shannon International Airport
- N20 Limerick - Castleisland - Tralee
- N22 Cork - Killarney - N23 (N21 from Limerick) - Castleisland - N25 Cork - Waterford - Rosslare Europort
- N26 (N4, N5 from Dublin) - Swinford - Ballina
- N27 Cork city centre - N28 Cork - N30 (N25 from Cork, Waterford near New Ross) - Enniscorthy - (N11 to Dublin)
- N69 Limerick - Tralee (Coast road via Foynes)
- N71 Cork - Killarney via West Cork
- N72 Killarney - Waterford
- N85 Ennis - Ennistymon
Regional routes are indicated with an "R" prefix and a three-digit number, ranging from R1xx in the north-east to R7xx in the south-east of the country. Other roads are not generally referred to by number, but are registered with a four-digit "L" number, taking the form Lxxxx. Some old road signs will still carry old classifications, e.g. "T" for trunk road.
Roads in Northern Ireland
The main roads in the north, which connect well with those in the south, are classified "M"/"A"/"B" as in Great Britain, though their numbering is separate from the British system.
Motorways
The most important roads are motorways, designated as in the Republic and Great Britain by the letter "M". The motorway network is focused on Belfast.
- M1 Belfast - Dungannon
- M2 Belfast - Ballymena
- M3 The Lagan Bridge in Belfast
- M5 A short spur from Greenisland to Whitehouse in the northern suburbs of Belfast
- M12 A short spur from the M1 to the centre of Portadown
- M22 Antrim - A1 Belfast - Lisburn - Banbridge - Newry - becoming the N1 at the border and continuing to Dundalk and Dublin
- A2 Derry - Newry coastal road
- A3 Lisburn - Portadown - Armagh - Middletown joining the N12 at the border which extends to Monaghan
- A4 Portadown - Dungannon - Clogher Valley - Enniskillen - Belcoo joining the N16 at the border which extends to Sligo
- A5 Derry - Strabane - Omagh - Ballygawley joining the N2 at the border which extends to Monaghan and Dublin
- A7 Carryduff - Downpatrick
- A8 Belfast - Larne
- A20 Belfast - Newtownards - Portaferry
- A21 Bangor - Newtownards - Comber - Ballygowan - Saintfield - A24 north of Ballynahinch
- A22 Dundonald - Comber - Killyleagh - Downpatrick
- A24 Belfast - Carryduff - Ballynahinch - Dundrum where it meets the A2 for Newcastle and Kilkeel
- A25 Downpatrick - Castlewellan - Newry - South Armagh - becoming the R182 for A26 Banbridge - Lurgan - Crumlin - Antrim - Ballymena - Ballymoney - Coleraine
- A27 Newry - Tandragee - Portadown
- A28 Newry - Markethill - Armagh - Aughnacloy - A29 Portrush - Coleraine - Maghera - Cookstown - Dungannon - Armagh - Keady - A30 Lisburn - A31 Moneymore - A32 Omagh - Irvinestown - Enniskillen - becoming the N87 towards Ballinamore at the border
- A34 Maguiresbridge - Lisnaskea - Newtownbutler to the border at Clones
- A35 Irvinestown - Kesh - Pettigo - becoming the R234 towards Donegal town at the border
- A37 (North) Coleraine - Limavady
- A37 (South) A short stretch of road around Cullaville - that part of the A40 From Derry City Centre southwest along the River Foyle to the border, where it becomes the R236 towards A42 Maghera - Portglenone - Ballymena - A44 Ballycastle - Armoy - A26 north of A46 Enniskillen - Belleek - becoming the N3 towards Ballyshannon at the border
- A48 Newtownards - A51 A54 Castledawson - Portglenone - A57 Belfast International Airport - Templepatrick - Ballyclare - A501 Belfast - A30 just east of Glenavy
- A509 Enniskillen - Derrylin becoming the N3 to Cavan and Dublin at the border
- A515 Derry Ring Road (North)
"B" roads
Less important roads are indicated with the prefix "B" and a one-, two- or three- digit number.
See also
External Links
