Galway to Dublin driving break

luckat · 06-01-2009 8:22am #1

When you're driving from Dublin to Galway you need a break for a cuppa and a sandwich in the middle. But where? Those motorways are naked of services. Any suggestions for a good cafe or hotel that's not too far off the track, about halfway? I used to stop in Moate before the bypass - is it as awful to navigate Moate now that it's bypassed?

firebug_guy · 06-01-2009 8:28am

I used to stop in Athlone at the Gilmartin Roundabaout (McDonalds, Subway in there) but now I stop in Ballinasloe as its just easier... Once you get on the Motorway you dont have to get off until Dublin.

I knoe Ballinasloe is only an hour into your journey but it'll save you time stopping there as opposed to coming off the Motorway and getting back on again. That hotel as you turn the corner on the Dublin side of Ballinasloe is lovely.

luckat · 06-01-2009 8:43am

Excellent, firebug - any idea of the name of the hotel?

I find that if I drive for an hour and a half I'm fine, then I suddenly start to flop, and the last hour is misery. A half-hour, or even quarter-hour, break for coffee makes all the difference.

Pingu · 06-01-2009 10:52am

Generally find Kilmartins in Athlone, mentioned above best place for a quick cuppa on the way to break it up before the motorway. It's only about 200-300 yards from the exit.

I just use the Garage, but there's a Hotel out the back along with McDonalds, Subway etc.

Zzippy · 06-01-2009 11:16am

Kilmartins too, nice food. There's always Subway too, or the hotel do a good carvery lunch. Only 1 min off the motorway, take the exit for Birr/Athlone East.

tonyhiggins · 07-01-2009 1:13am

Yip, that'd be my spot or the big petrol station on the Dublin side of Ballinasloe..

steph1 · 07-01-2009 1:18am

Drove through Moate yesterday and it was great. So if you want to stop in Moate in the future no problems and no traffic jams.

HPT · 07-01-2009 1:26am

luckat wrote: »

Excellent, firebug - any idea of the name of the hotel?

I think it's Hayden's.

Zzippy · 07-01-2009 11:49am

HPT wrote: »

I think it's Hayden's.

AFAIK Haydens is closed. I think the hotel he was referring to is the Shearwater Plaza, the new one. Stayed there for a wedding recently and its very nice, good bar food too.

EAFC_rdfl · 07-01-2009 12:25pm

Zzippy wrote: »

AFAIK Haydens is closed. I think the hotel he was referring to is the Shearwater Plaza, the new one. Stayed there for a wedding recently and its very nice, good bar food too.

Id say you are right, its the shearwater they referred to, but haydens isn't closed. It was closed, but it opened again in october/november and is in full swing again

Bass Cadet · 07-01-2009 1:49pm

With the motorway now going all the way from athlone to Dublin, the services at Gilmartin roundabout in Athlone are right in the middle of your journey.

dafunk · 07-01-2009 1:51pm

Reckon it's great not having to go through Moate anymore!

Driving to Dublin tomorrow around lunchtime if anyone wants a lift send me a pm.

JohnCleary · 07-01-2009 1:53pm

I stop in Athlone too at that Roundabout with the McDonalds/Petrol Station/Woodies :pac: etc.

I think the hotel you're on about in Baninasloe is the Carlton?

Acoshla · 07-01-2009 3:15pm

The hotel in Ballinalsoe is the Carlton Shearwater, or there's another hotel called Gullane's that does great food, in the town with parking beside it.

KevR · 07-01-2009 5:28pm

I stop in Athlone too. It's roughly half way and the McDonalds and petrol station aren't far off the bypass/motorway so it's handy.

luckat · 07-01-2009 9:44pm

The hotel in Moate was the Grand Hotel on the main street. Nice food, relaxing.

Hi-Psi · 08-01-2009 2:18am

I'm not gonna lie, I find it pretty funny that you guys need a break during a 3 hour drive. In Canada we drive 6-8 hours to different cities and wouldn't even stop if we didn't need gas.

I've met people from other countries in Europe that are the same as you guys and think we're crazy for driving for sooo long. Personally I have to drive 8 hours to get to/from work every 2 weeks.

Anyways, I guess I'll see what the drive is like next month when I get to Dublin and have to get down to Galway.

luckat · 08-01-2009 11:33am

Glad to amuse you, Hi-Psi, it is my gift to you.

Yes, I'm a wimp. And my wimpiness is supported by my satnav, oddly, which demands that I take a driving break every couple of hours.

But Irish roads can be difficult. For instance, on a stretch of unlit motorway outside Moate during a recent trip, I was baffled by a large, slow machine which appeared to be coming towards me going the wrong way along the motorway.

It turned out to be a machine salting the road, which had white lights on the back instead of red. Very scary as I couldn't work out where it was going and thought I was going to crash into it head-on.

During your trip through Ireland you'll also have the pleasure of experiencing our road signage, which is apparently often designed and installed by people from homes for the bewildered.

We specialise in signs hidden by trees, or set so far into a turn-off that you can't read them until you've passed, or a sign saying a town name before a turn-off, followed by signs saying a different town name after you've taken the turn.

And you'll love our roundabouts - some controlled by traffic lights! Please note that those who are already driving on the roundabout have priority.

Note, too, that all speed limits are in kilometres per hour.

In fact, I'd recommend a careful read of the Rules of the Road before you drive.

critical alp · 08-01-2009 11:39am

The hotel Hilamar in Kinnegad also does nice bar food and might save the hassle of searching for something to eat and parking in Dublin. ( 40 mins)

ukgalwaymcguire · 09-01-2009 12:04am

hi i went yesterday, first time actually never been too dublin always stayed in the west and only lived here for 7 months now..

well i stopped as i have 2 children and plus it was lunch time..
we stopped in killcock, lovely little village about 30 mins out of dublin of the m4.. ate in a little cafe called Macarris, was cheap and wonderful food

took my girls too see Chris Brown in concert he was great but the travelodge in castleknock was crap.. no heating in the room.. frrrrrrreezing

as for the motorway was very very surprised its so quiet.. but..
i do not understand why .. baffled.. people think they can be in the slow lane and just pull out too over take.. get into the fast lane.. without LOOKING whats behind.. or indicate.. it was funny.. and dangerous happened at least 8 times each way
and the undertaking on the inside lane
apart from that.. dublin so reminded me of london, on a much much smaller scale, was surprised thought it was bigger
which warmed my heart too our beloved ireland even more.. and i liked dublin but i LOVE galway...

KevR · 09-01-2009 2:22am

Hi-Psi wrote: »

I'm not gonna lie, I find it pretty funny that you guys need a break during a 3 hour drive. In Canada we drive 6-8 hours to different cities and wouldn't even stop if we didn't need gas.

Personally, I don't stop for the rest for myself, I stop just to let my car cool off because I only have a small car which isn't very powerful. It's not really built for sustained high speeds on a motorway, it's really more of a city car.

ukgalwaymcguire wrote: »

as for the motorway was very very surprised its so quiet.. but..
i do not understand why .. baffled.. people think they can be in the slow lane and just pull out too over take.. get into the fast lane.. without LOOKING whats behind.. or indicate.. it was funny.. and dangerous happened at least 8 times each way
and the undertaking on the inside lane

Driving on motorways is a fairly new experience for many Irish people, many don't know how to use them properly.
Common issues in addition to what you described are:

People thinking the can stop in the emergency lane/hard shoulder for non-emergencies.
People driving tractors and other vehicles which aren't capable of 50kmh on the motorway period.
People driving tractors and other vehicles which aren't capable of 50kmh in the emergency lane and thinking this is ok.
At night, people not dipping their headlights when there is an oncoming car on the other carriageway (just because the carriageways are seperated doesn't mean your full headlights won't blind someone going the other way!).

Could go on but I won't..

ukgalwaymcguire · 09-01-2009 2:36am

Driving on motorways is a fairly new experience for many Irish people, many don't know how to use them properly.

Common issues in addition to what you described are:

People thinking the can stop in the emergency lane/hard shoulder for non-emergencies.
People driving tractors and other vehicles which aren't capable of 50kmh on the motorway period.
People driving tractors and other vehicles which aren't capable of 50kmh in the emergency lane and thinking this is ok.
At night, people not dipping their headlights when there is an oncoming car on the other carriageway (just because the carriageways are seperated doesn't mean your full headlights won't blind someone going the other way!).

Hey it all adds too the grand tapestry that is ireland
like roundabouts, i now know too be especially aware on them
as seen loads of mad things happen on them , but its cool
once ya know the little idosyncracies lol...
but thanks for that.. i will watch for that next time

Galway to Dublin driving break

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