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Best route from Cork to Sligo [bumped thread]

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  • 28-07-2010 2:47pm
    #1
    Quaver
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I'm driving from Cork to Sligo this coming Friday evening, and I was wondering what is the best route to take if anyone has suggestions.

    Thanking you in advance,

    Q


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    #2
    schemingbohemia
    Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    AA has you going M8 then off via Thurles and Athlone up to Sligo
    http://www.aaireland.ie/routes_beta/
    Never done it so not sure.
    Interestingly www.viamichelin.com suggests the 'other' way via limerick/galway


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    #3
    Tech3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭Tech3


    You have 2 options:

    using the M8/N62/N6/N61/N4

    Or: N20(M20)/N18(M18)/N17/N4

    Both routes have bad bottlenecks. Given that Galway may still be busy after the festival during the week you could get held up at the Oranmore bypass to Claregalway. The M8 option may be better although it's not easy driving on the N62/N61. The N61 has some bad bends the closer you come to Boyle. There is a toll at Fermoy on the M8.

    On the N20 you would have a poor standard of national primary road from Mallow to Croom. From Patrickswell to north of Ennis you will have dual carriageway/motorway standard road. There is a toll bypassing Limerick(tunnel). Claregalway and Tuam can be very bad bottlenecks. The M8 option looks like you might see less congestion.


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    #4
    Quaver
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭Quaver


    Thanks, looks like I'll probably go the M8/N62/N6/N61/N4 route, I know those roads a bit better.


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    #5
    quitepossibly
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭quitepossibly


    I'm travelling from Cork city to Sligo on Wednesday morning. I must be in Sligo at 10am. What is the best route option at that hour of the day? (I believe there is another section of the M18 open since the question was last answered above). Is it still better to avoid Galway at that hour of the morning? Also any ideas at what is the latest time I could leave Cork at?


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    #6
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,290 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    I'd be tempted to go via Portlaoise and Mullingar - just make sure that both south-north bypasses are on the sat-nav.

    Galway - you might see some traffic at Oranmore, but at Claregalway you will be going against the flow. Anywhere else you will be travelling too early.

    As for timing, you are looking at more than 4 hours driving. Adding a bit of time for a break and for getting there early, that means a 5am departure in mid-winter on roads you don't know well. Might it make sense to travel the night before?


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    #7
    SeanW
    Registered Users Posts: 8,776 ✭✭✭SeanW


    I used to do Cork-Longford a lot, and I'd second the above suggestion as a possibility. I.E. Cork, Portlaoise, Tullamore, Mullingar and onwards on the N4 to Sligo.

    Anything else IMO and you're spending too much time on national secondary roads. The Westerly route isn't much either, the N20 is a tip and there's only a little dual carriageway around Limerick and part way into Galway, and you'll be a long time on the N17.


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    #8
    quitepossibly
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭quitepossibly


    Victor wrote: »
    I'd be tempted to go via Portlaoise and Mullingar - just make sure that both south-north bypasses are on the sat-nav.

    Galway - you might see some traffic at Oranmore, but at Claregalway you will be going against the flow. Anywhere else you will be travelling too early.

    As for timing, you are looking at more than 4 hours driving. Adding a bit of time for a break and for getting there early, that means a 5am departure in mid-winter on roads you don't know well. Might it make sense to travel the night before?

    In the end I took the western option - Limerick, Galway, Sligo. N20-N18-N17-N4. I had a look at the conditions in the midlands before I set off and was a bit worried about the cold weather inland.

    Left from southside of Cork city at 6.15 and arrived in Sligo at 10.10, including a 10 minute stop in Oranmore. Traffic was worst between Mallow and the M20 and again between Galway and Tuam. I'll be travelling to Sligo a few more times in the next few weeks so I will try the other routes.


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    #9
    road_high
    Registered Users Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    I was going up to North Longford last Saturday morn from Kilkenny and took M9 as far as Naas, then (rat run) Sallins-Clane-Kilcock-M4-N4-Longford. Took 2 hours.
    So from Cork I wonder would M8/7 to Naas be any good and same route onto M4/N4 to Sligo.


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