MOTORWAYS

A directory of motorways in the Republic of Ireland.

Map of current national primary routes
A non-comprehensive map of existing, under construction and planned
motorways and dual carriageways in 2006:

Blue/Grey: Existing/Planned motorway.
Light green on dark green: Existing dual carriageway.
White on green: Dual carriageway under construction.
White on grey: Planned dual carriageway.

What's the deal again with these roads?

Motorways are a special class of road, allowing faster travel, but have restrictions. Motorway restrictions can be in theory applied to any section of route, thus making it a motorway. Any route section under motorway restrictions uses the M prefix before the route number, rather than the usual N, R or L. As of 2006 all motorways in the Republic are part or all of a national primary road.

What routes are there?

Click on a route in the list below for detailed information. The motorways all form part/all of an N road of that number. The motorway section is described first, followed by the description of the route it is part of.

M1: Santry bypass to north of Dundalk; part Dublin - (Belfast)
M4: Past Lucan bypass to Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath; part Dublin - (Derry)
M6: westbound N6 carriageway joining M4 at Kinnegad; part Dublin - Galway
M7: Naas bypass to south of Portlaoise; part Dublin - Limerick
M8: Fermoy-Rathcormac bypass; part Dublin - Cork
M9: From M7 south of Newbridge to Kilcullen, Co. Kildare; part Dublin - Waterford
M11: Bray bypass; part Dublin - Wexford
(M32): from M1/M50 junction to first roundabout; part Northern Cross Extension, Dublin
M50: Dublin Ring Road; whole route

What routes will be added?

Only one is on the nearish horizon. A major motorway project that is planned is the M3 through Co. Meath. This has been held up due to controversy over the route passing by the hill of Tara.

Redesignation of high-quality dual carriageway route sections to motorway has been mooted; this would possibly result in some new numbers (as well as adding to motorway mileage on N roads that already have motorway sections). Some contenders if taking a broad view are the N2 Ashbourne bypass (already has motorway speed limit), N15 north of Sligo (planned), N17 Athenry to Tuam (planned), N18, N19, N20/N21 Raheen/Patrickswell bypass, N22/N25 Cork South Ring, N25 Waterford bypass (under construction).

Routes N5 and N10, although having low route numbers, are not likely ever to have motorway sections. The latter has a very slim possibility of having a section under restrictions leading to any future M9, but this is unlikely to be separately signposted. As the planned N9 replacement is high quality dual carriageway, not motorway, the point is moot for now.