Advice on Carlow to Galway

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Thanks in advance for any and all advice. In September I have to drive from Carlow to Galway and was wondering about which roads to take.

A look at a roadmap tells me the easiest way is to take the M9 and then M7 and get off at Naas and go straight up to Maynooth and take the M4 to the M6. Is the Naas to Maynooth road a good one or is there a better way? Should I get off the M7 at Exit 10 or Exit 9?

Would going closer to Dublin on the N7 before turning off to head up to the M4 make it faster? Is there any point in using the M50?

Regards, MC

Carawaystick

From Carlow:
Portlaoise, Tullamore(bypased), Kilbeggan(bypassed), Galway

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Carawaystick wrote: »

From Carlow:
Portlaoise, Tullamore(bypased), Kilbeggan(bypassed), Galway

Thanks for that. Looking at a map, it does look straight forward enough.

I have not driven in Ireland much since I live abroad and I had been looking at all the new blue lines and wondering how to connect to the M4.

Sponge Bob

Via Tullamore/Kilbeggan, time now 3 hours to Galway.

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Via Tullamore/Kilbeggan, time now 3 hours to Galway.

Thank you. I won't be in a hurry, but nice to know how long it'll take.

Cookie_Monster

Carawaystick wrote: »

From Carlow:
Portlaoise, Tullamore(bypased), Kilbeggan(bypassed), Galway

^this^ N80, N52 and M6
http://goo.gl/maps/tu3Pw

2h 30m or so

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

^this^ N80, N52 and M6
http://goo.gl/maps/tu3Pw

2h 30m or so

Thank you kindly.

Just as a matter of fact, what is the best way from Carlow to Maynooth? If the town is worth visiting I might have a look.

Thanks.

Carawaystick

EurasiaEndtoEnd wrote: »

Thank you kindly.

Just as a matter of fact, what is the best way from Carlow to Maynooth? If the town is worth visiting I might have a look.

Thanks.

I wouldn't say Maynooth is worth going to see. If you were there, it might be worth having a look. It has a castle and the old college, which are free to look around but so, so.

From Carlow to Maynooth, take the M9/7 N7 M50 N/M4, i.e. motorway to Dublin, M50 to n4 and M4 to Maynooth

You'ld pass Castletown house at the motorway junction before Maynooth, worth a look if you're there.

---

The road to Portlaoise from Carlow is decent, mostly with a hard shoulder. It's still reasonable to Tullamore and then on to Galway is motorway

There's a great view from the pass on the N80 between Carlow and Portlaoise

If you weren't in a rush coming back you could come back via Loughrea/Portumna (N65) then onto Birr, then to Roscrea,Borris in Ossory, Ballycolla, Abbeyleix, The Swan, Carlow.

Birr is worth a stop, it has what was the largest telescope in the world and a few other technology firsts.
Abbeyleix has a proper old fashioned pub Morrisseys, front is a olde worlde shop

Another option would be to go from Balinasloe east to Shannonbridge and Clonmacnoise monastery and on through the bogs to Tullamore

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Carawaystick wrote: »

I wouldn't say Maynooth is worth going to see. If you were there, it might be worth having a look. It has a castle and the old college, which are free to look around but so, so.

Thanks for that wealth of suggestions. I am originally from Cork and will be taking a road trip from there to see different relatives. After Carlow, I'll be going to Galway and around to Mayo and Sligo before heading back to Cork.

For a country that had no motorways (or maybe just a few km near Dublin ) when I left in 1985, it is great to see the big network that exists now. It is a pity that secondary roads can still be in very poor condition.

MC

EurasiaEndtoEnd

Update on my thread.

I drove up to Carlow from Cork on M8 and M7 and got off at Curragh. I joined the M9 at Kilcullen. It is a pity that the M9 is not linked to the M7 from the Limerick/Cork direction.
I was asked to drop someone off at Sallins so I ended up getting to Galway from the M4 at Kilcock. Loved driving on Ireland's new motorways.
Thanks to all for advice given.