Driving on Irish Roads

• By: Editor
• On: 19/Jun/2008
• In: Ireland Travel Tips

Driving on Irish Roads:
Historically Ireland’s roads were of poor quality and driving on them was a tedious process at best but thanks to an influx of funding from the EU the number of Motorways and good quality National roads in Ireland has increased substantially and continues to increase today.

The first thing to remember is that you will be driving on the LEFT. While once driving on the road most people will not have a problem, the biggest cause of accidents by tourists is when they have pulled in at some tourist stop and then when they are taking off they just automatically start driving on the side of the road they are used to. Also when coming to a roundabout, you must yield to traffic coming from the right.

Please bear in mind that all distances and speed limits are in metric (km/h) unlike the UK and the US, its worth remembering this especially if you are crossing the border into and out of Northern Ireland. If you see a sign to a destination with a number of place names below this in brackets, these bracketed destinations can also be reached on this road even though they aren’t the prime destination of this road.

One thing to take into account about travel times is that it will take a lot longer than the distance alone would suggest, this is because of traffic and the occurrence of villages on the road. So if you are on a time budget leave extra time for travelling.

Most Motorways are found radiating out from the capital and are an excellent way of getting from Dublin to the south and/or west of the country where you will find most of the places of interest for tourists. The speed limit on Irish motorways is 120 km/h, the signs on the motorway are white on blue and are denoted as M1, M7 and the M50 which encircles Dublin City. Most Motorways in Ireland are also tolled, but it usually isn’t too much, usually less than €2.

The National roads of Ireland tend to continue on from where the motorways end and also connect the other cities and major towns of the country together. These can frequently be Dual Carriageways (two sets of unidirectional roads side-by-side) when travelling between cities and as bypasses. The speed limit on these roads is 100km/h, though sometimes these roads will still pass through a town or village and the limit is reduced to 80km/h or 60km/h. The signs on these roads are usually green and are denoted as N, such as N7 and N22.

When you are exploring the more rural areas of the country (in the South, the South West, the West and the North East) the roads you will come across the Regional Roads. These roads are simple two lane roads with a single lane heading in each direction, and they can be quite narrow and winding. This can be detrimental as you may occasionally encounter tractors (or similar slow vehicles), with little warning so keep this in mind as you, on the roads and you will find it difficult to overtake as the roads can be.

There are also some local roads that are bi-directional single lane roads that criss-cross the countryside. You won’t usually need to travel on these roads, but if you are and you encounter traffic coming the opposite way, you can usually find some slightly wider parts of the road where you can pull in as far as you can and the person coming against you will have just enough room to pass. It can be a little daunting but take your time and leave the other driver do the passing after you have pulled over and you should be fine. You may also encounter farm animals, especially sheep, on the road. These animals are well used to motor traffic and will not move out of the way so you should drive around them if safe to do so.

The speed limit within town and city limits the speed limit is 50 km/h, and in some residential areas it can be 30 km/h. Irish Pedestrians can be a nightmare visitors to the country, jaywalking is a way of life and when you are driving through a town, the secret is to keep driving in a straight line and the pedestrian will work his own way across by dodging the traffic. Unlike in the USA, Pedestrian/Zebra Crossings are not always placed on intersections; they are frequently put on sections of the street that sees a high volume of pedestrian traffic, so keep an eye out for them anywhere.

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of Irish roads, don’t let it daunt you too much you’ll get the hang of it in no time. We have another guide to help you know what to expect from Irish Motorists as well. For a few ideas for activities while in Ireland check out our other car hire Ireland blogs. The best way to see Ireland for yourself is through the freedom of a car so for the best Car Rental Ireland options give us a go.

Just remember to enjoy your trip to Ireland and if you have any tips or questions of your own, why not post a comment below?