Has anybody driven across Ireland?

[Sir Humphrey]

Thinking of taking the car over to Ireland and driving to the west coast, would anyone recommend it? What are the roads/driving standards like?

[Sir Humphrey]

Thanks for the advice, I think we'll probably go in a loop from Waterford - Cork - Limerick - Galway - Dublin or the other way round, if we avoided motorways would we be stuck behind traffic or on horrible back roads? I have Sat Nav so no problem with directions but we will be going in a 350Z so hopefully avoiding single track lanes etc.

[Sir Humphrey]

Red Devil said:

It depends on how inventive you choose to be. Whenever I plan on visiting unfamiliar territory I spend quite a bit of time beforehand using Google Streetview to 'drive' prospective routes. This gives you a pretty good idea of what the roads are like. What it can't really tell you is how much traffic you will actually encounter.

I'm not 100% clear whether you are doing a full loop starting and finishing in Dublin or whether your clockwise itinerary starts at Waterford in which case you may be intending to use the ferry to Rosslare then via Wexford.

If it is a complete loop go from Dublin to Waterford via the Wicklow Mountains National Park to Laragh. Then Rathdrum, Avoca, Aughrim, Carnew, Bunclody, Ballywilliam, to the N30

The direct route from Cork to Limerick is the N20 via Mallow but that would omit the best bit. Why would you want to do that?

I would go from Cork to Bantry as follows: N71 to Bandon, then the R586 via Drimoleague to rejoin the N71 south of Bantry. Take the Ring of Kerry from Kenmare to Killarney. Doing that means you'll miss out Molls Gap on the direct route (N71) but that can get quite busy in the peak tourist season.

From Killarney to Limerick I would pick Tralee/Listowel/Foynes rather than the direct route via Newcastle West. Limerick to Galway the long way round on N68/N67 instead of the M18/N18. Galway to Dublin via the M6/M4 with maybe a detour to Athlone on the way.

Or the whole lot the other way round.

Its not 100% certain where we will go but we would definitely go to the West Coast at some point, if we do a loop it would be getting a ferry between Holyhead and Dublin and another one between Pembroke and Rosslare, the Cork-Limerick will probably be double the direct distance

[Sir Humphrey]

Hooli said:

Been over a few times on motorbikes. As said the roads are often rough, but the driving standards are fine & it's worth it in anything that isn't very low.

I'd be going over in a 350Z, should be fine?