Dublin to Mayo route

John_Rambo

Hi everyone. I'm delighted to spend yet another few days in Mayo. We've done a few this year and EVERYONE we know has a different route... Galway motorway to N17, traditional Tullamore route... etc.

What do the locals do if heading from the capital? I know it's different if you're on a 1000cc motorbike or a large truck. We'll be in a not so quick 4x4.

Thanks.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

Hi everyone. I'm delighted to spend yet another few days in Mayo. We've done a few this year and EVERYONE we know has a different route... Galway motorway to N17, traditional Tullamore route... etc.

What do the locals do if heading from the capital? I know it's different if you're on a 1000cc motorbike or a large truck. We'll be in a not so quick 4x4.

Thanks.

where in mayo

mickdw

What part of mayo are you travelling to?

John_Rambo

Sorry. Achill. Battle for the Lake.

Edit!! Looks like we are picking up a competitor in Athlone. That will make a difference I reckon.

what time/day

as a rule, at very heavy traffic time (like leaving friday eve with everyone else) then the m6 through athlone is yr friend and then up into roscommon to meet the n5

if a quieter time traffic wise, m4 n4 n5 all the way. swing towards newport from castlebar.

generally id recommend the latter route as the least hassle

dobman88

I'm not a local but I'm a courier that does Dublin-Mayo regularly.

It depends on where in Mayo you're heading. If I'm going to Ballina I'll head off the M4 for Mullingar, Longford and up to Ballina.

If I'm going to Castlebar I'll take the M4, M6 and M17.

Anything further West than that and both routes would probably be similar times but I'd take the motorway option mostly.

mfceiling

Hijacking this a bit lads.

I'm for castlebar on Saturday morning...leaving dublin at 6a.m. What's the best route and approx time to get there?

Thanks.

just saw the edit.

only option then is whether you go on to galway and head into cbar that way, some will say to do so to stay on the motorway as long as possible but galway-cbar is bad roads most of the way so id say m6 to athlone and n61 to meet the n4

John_Rambo

mfceiling wrote: »

Hijacking this a bit lads.

I'm for castlebar on Saturday morning...leaving dublin at 6a.m. What's the best route and approx time to get there?

Thanks.

Mayo is the place to be this weekend!!

dobman88

John_Rambo wrote: »

Sorry. Achill. Battle for the Lake.

Edit!! Looks like we are picking up a competitor in Athlone. That will make a difference I reckon.

M4, M6 and M17 is the best route for that trip. Especially since you have to collect someone in Athlone

the m17 would be a factor if it were more convenient for cbar but im not sure it is at all tbh

John_Rambo

Deleted User wrote: »

just saw the edit.

only option then is whether you go on to galway and head into cbar that way, some will say to do so to stay on the motorway as long as possible but galway-cbar is bad roads most of the way so id say m6 to athlone and n61 to meet the n4

Fair play Snoopsheep. Thanks a million.

mfceiling

mfceiling wrote: »

Hijacking this a bit lads.

I'm for castlebar on Saturday morning...leaving dublin at 6a.m. What's the best route and approx time to get there?

Thanks.

m4 n4 nice quiet time for it

Peatys

mfceiling wrote: »

Hijacking this a bit lads.

I'm for castlebar on Saturday morning...leaving dublin at 6a.m. What's the best route and approx time to get there?

Thanks.

M4, M6, N17, Claremorris, Castlebar. 3hrs.
Done two years of the hell that is Termonbarry to Frenchpark. Never again.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

Fair play Snoopsheep. Thanks a million.

guilty confession, id forgotten about the m17 being linked up so notwithstanding my personal doubts dobman could also be on to something there

John_Rambo

Deleted User wrote: »

m4 n4 nice quiet time for it

I'm leaving Dublin at 5.00pm. I think I'll take your advice and stick to the motorway. Boards and stuff on the roof, can't be flaking it like a porsche.

Peatys

Peatys wrote: »

M4, M6, N17, Claremorris, Castlebar. 3hrs.
Done two years of the hell that is Termonbarry to Frenchpark. Never again.

ah its grand if theres light traffic on it

ballagh bypass gamechanger!

claremorris-castlebar sure thats twenty minutes of yer life youd never get back!

mickdw

Seeing as you are going to Athlone, Id stick with motorway all the way to Tuam. Its longer mileage wise and even possibly alittle slower but it gets you reasonably close to castlebar on motorway. All routes will take you to through castlebar

For MFCeiling, not going to Athlone, Id go to Longford and take the N5 to castlebar.

John_Rambo

mickdw wrote: »

Seeing as you are going to Athlone, Id stick with motorway all the way to Tuam. Its longer mileage wise and even possibly alittle slower but it gets you reasonably close to castlebar on motorway. All routes will take you to through castlebar

Thanks so much. Amazingly quick replies!! UP MAYO!

CtrlAltDelete

It all depends where in Mayo you're going to.. it's a big county. I live between Tuam and kilmaine and surfboards pass by the house most weekends so I'm assuming they are headed to the coast....

M6,M17,R332,N84,R330 Westport.

witnessrenegade

I take the motorway to Tuam when going from Dublin to Castlebar anymore, a few more miles but not that different time wise, the roads from Longford to Castlebar are terrible imo

Call me Al

John_Rambo wrote: »

Thanks so much. Amazingly quick replies!! UP MAYO!

I go to Achill regularly. Take the M4, and the M5 to castlebar. Last leg is the n59 all the way to Achill. The road is decent other than in Roscommon. You'll pass through Mullingar Longford Tarmonbarry Tulsk Ballaghadereen.

Hope you enjoy the weekend. It's a wonderful spot.

CtrlAltDelete

Ah.. the M5... There in lies the issue. Don't think we will be seeing it become an "M" in our lifetime !

Call me Al

Call me Al wrote: »

I go to Achill regularly. Take the M4, and the M5 to castlebar. Last leg is the n59 all the way to Achill. The road is decent other than in Roscommon. You'll pass through Mullingar Longford Tarmonbarry Tulsk Ballaghadereen.

Hope you enjoy the weekend. It's a wonderful spot.

ah but

upper or lower achill?

Call me Al

[Deleted User] wrote: »

ah but

upper or lower achill?

Well..........

that's obvious surely :-)

irishgeo

Deleted User wrote: »

what time/day

as a rule, at very heavy traffic time (like leaving friday eve with everyone else) then the m6 through athlone is yr friend and then up into roscommon to meet the n5

if a quieter time traffic wise, m4 n4 n5 all the way. swing towards newport from castlebar.

generally id recommend the latter route as the least hassle

the n59 doesnt saldy go all the way to achill

the r312 with its lack of overtaking spots brings you all the way to beautiful achill

John_Rambo

Home now! Great few days in Achill.

Went from Athlone to Tuam and on to Achill on Friday morning after a night stopover in the Wineport. It was fine. Motorway was EMPTY! If I had been on a motorbike or a fast car with nothing on the roof I'd have done it in no time, albeit, breaking the limit! But I stayed legal... Epic roads, super smooth, excellent infrastructure.

Went home the traditional route on Sunday bypassing Ballaghaderreen and on to Longford to Dublin and it was quicker than the Galway motorway route I took the last time I went home (from Achill to Dublin straight).

Thanks so much to the helpful locals and the experienced, professional delivery drivers that took the time to post here. VERY helpful.