Kerry to Derry - Route Help?

Stinicker

I am thinking of going to Derry for some early Pre-Christmas shopping and maybe for Halloween next weekend! Having never been to the City I am not to sure about routings for the Journey so maybe someone here could help me?

I am most happy on Motorways but really want the quickest route up there.

Should I take,

Option a)
N22 Kerry to Cork, M8/M7 to Dublin and M50 and M1 to Ardee and the N2/A5 via Monaghan to Derry then? (This is Google Maps preferred routing?)

Option b)
N22 Kerry to Cork, M8/M7 to Dublin and M50 and M3/N3 to Enniskillen and onto Omagh and upto Derry that way?

Option c)
N21 to Limerick, Shannon Tunnel and M18 upthrough Galway, N17 to Sligo, N15 to Donegal Town and Lifford onwards to Derry on the A5.

Option c seems the straightest run up the West coast but Option a gives me the most Motorway but sees me going from the West coast over to the east coast before coming back North west again!

I wouldn't bother going up through the Midlands as the roads are pure crap!

Any Ideas?

thanks

Ham'nd'egger

A good 5-6 hour of drive up and the same down; you are really asking for seat sores and a hell of a lot of juice!!!

Option C is probably the handiest way up as it's a straight line and direct. Dublin-Derry alone is over 3 hours on a good day though the M 50 will take a little off that but from Ardee or Crossmaglen the motorways end. Via Cavan-Enniskillen-Omagh involves something of a dog leg so option B is less direct.

Whatever way you travel, make sure you stop at least once there and back to stretch as it's a very long trip and you need to keep fresh.

Stinicker wrote: »

I am thinking of going to Derry for some early Pre-Christmas shopping and maybe for Halloween next weekend! Having never been to the City I am not to sure about routings for the Journey so maybe someone here could help me?

I am most happy on Motorways but really want the quickest route up there.

Should I take,

Option a)
N22 Kerry to Cork, M8/M7 to Dublin and M50 and M1 to Ardee and the N2/A5 via Monaghan to Derry then? (This is Google Maps preferred routing?)

Option b)
N22 Kerry to Cork, M8/M7 to Dublin and M50 and M3/N3 to Enniskillen and onto Omagh and upto Derry that way?

Option c)
N21 to Limerick, Shannon Tunnel and M18 upthrough Galway, N17 to Sligo, N15 to Donegal Town and Lifford onwards to Derry on the A5.

Option c seems the straightest run up the West coast but Option a gives me the most Motorway but sees me going from the West coast over to the east coast before coming back North west again!

I wouldn't bother going up through the Midlands as the roads are pure crap!

Any Ideas?

thanks

Carawaystick

I suppose it depends on where in Kerry you're starting from, it's about 3 hours from Killarney to Dublin via Cork and M8/7

I dunno how long it'd be from Dublin to Derry now Monaghan and Carrickmacross are bypassed.

It'd definitely be the easiest driving route, it's pretty much all wide single carriageway road from Ardee up to the border.



There's two motorway service stations on the M1, one just past the Airport and there's some petrol stations between Naas and Dublin on the N7, which would split the journey evenly