Dublin to Louisburgh

tomaso11

Hi,

Heading to Louisburgh this Friday evening for the weekend

In the past I always used N4/M4/N5 route but I know Fridays can be tricky with traffic. Has anyone used the M6 to Galway and Turn in Claregalway onto the N84 to Wesport? I know it's 20km longer, but you're in a motorway most of the way..

is it worth it?

L1011

Galway City traffic is far worse than N5 traffic.

Losty Dublin

It's worse, far far worse than the N4/N5. Galway is yukky and it's no better either via the N 17 or the Headford Ballinrobe Road. As well, you've the second toll booth to allow for plus they are slower roads as a whole.

Try heading to Frenchpark. Take the M 6 to Athlone, take the turn off for Roscommon and then to Castlerea. Once there you take the right at Hells Kitchen and it's a few minutes away. It gives you more motorway and decent road, it cuts out a load of towns en route plus it leaves you maybe 2 miles away from the decent section of road towards Mayo.

tomaso11

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It's worse, far far worse than the N4/N5. Galway is yukky and it's no better either via the N 17 or the Headford Ballinrobe Road. As well, you've the second toll booth to allow for plus they are slower roads as a whole.

Try heading to Frenchpark. Take the M 6 to Athlone, take the turn off for Roscommon and then to Castlerea. Once there you take the right at Hells Kitchen and it's a few minutes away. It gives you more motorway and decent road, it cuts out a load of towns en route plus it leaves you maybe 2 miles away from the decent section of road towards Mayo.

Thanks you both!

I thought about this one too, but from Roscomon heading to Tulsk instead of Castlereaand take the N5 there

Losty Dublin

tomaso11 wrote: »

Thanks you both!

I thought about this one too, but from Roscomon heading to Tulsk instead of Castlereaand take the N5 there

Done both. Via Castlerea is a prettier drive than via Tulsk IMO but either works and are better than via Galway.

Carawaystick

L1011 wrote: »

Galway City traffic is far worse than N5 traffic.

If he's leaving Dublin in the evening, Galway traffic will be gone

monument

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Try heading to Frenchpark. Take the M 6 to Athlone, take the turn off for Roscommon and then to Castlerea. Once there you take the right at Hells Kitchen and it's a few minutes away. It gives you more motorway and decent road, it cuts out a load of towns en route plus it leaves you maybe 2 miles away from the decent section of road towards Mayo.

That might seem like a good idea but for a few extra km of motorway you're left with a worse route between Athlone and Frenchpark. And I don't think it would cut down that many towns.

The OP would be far better to keep to the Longford route, as the bulk of locals do.

L1011

Carawaystick wrote: »

If he's leaving Dublin in the evening, Galway traffic will be gone

As would all the N5 traffic.

tomaso11

I'll be leaving Dublin at 3:30/4pm

Losty Dublin

monument wrote: »

That might seem like a good idea but for a few extra km of motorway you're left with a worse route between Athlone and Frenchpark. And I don't think it would cut down that many towns.

The OP would be far better to keep to the Longford route, as the bulk of locals do.

There's 80 miles of motorway and about 25 miles of wide single lane road as far as Roscommon. The only place en route to slow you down is the village of Knockcrogery; I've done this drive in 100 minutes handily enough. Onwards from Roscommon, okay it isn't as good but it's no worse than the N5 and it's a lot better at times.

Via the N4/N5 you've got maybe 9 towns and villages beyond Mullingar and two slow by passes. Also, it's not as good a road until you hit Mayo bar the section after Longford. On the other hand it's good if you need pit stops and comfort breaks and yes, it's shorter by a bit.

I did the Mayo road a lot last year and the N5 was ten to twenty minutes longer than via the N 4. Mind you, I went via Tuam one day to drop a friend off that way and it added the guts of an hour to the trip; lesson learnt :-)

Bray Head

N4 to Athlone and then north through Roscommon and hit the N5 at Tulsk.

It is slightly quicker and you avoid the awful bendy, narrow slog through Longford and north Roscommon.

cml387

Bray Head wrote: »

N4 to Athlone and then north through Roscommon and hit the N5 at Tulsk.

It is slightly quicker and you avoid the awful bendy, narrow slog through Longford and north Roscommon.

Don't forget Ballaghadereen is bypassed removing a bit of the slog from the Roscommon section.