Driving to Kilkenny

slideshow bob

Anybody drive Galway to Kilkenny recently? Any suggested routes?

Storm 10

I done Galway to Waterford recently, I went the Limerick way used the tunnel and I done it in 2 hours 40 minutes, its great with the motorway from Gort to Limerick.

Acidflash

Last time I drove there I went as far as junction 5 on the M6, then Tullamore, Mountmellick,Portlaoise, Kilkenny. It's a handy drive.

dastardly00

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

spadesaspade

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

This is the route i take aswell, bring some good tunes, boring drive

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

M6 as far as J5 ftw.

Good road on to Tullamore and much less of a boring drive than the Portumna way, apart from the motorway portion.

gandroid

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

Very true. As someone who used to drive this route a lot, I found that taking the motorway as far as Ballinasloe and then following signs for Shannonbridge then Cloghan-Birr>> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny is slightly faster. It's also safer and easier as the Loughrea - Birr stretch going the other route has some bad roads.

mathepac

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately...

Ah sure there is, the one that runs mainly through North Tipp.

Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Borrisokane >> Nenagh >> Borrosoleigh >> Thurles >> Twomileborris >> Urlingford >> Freshford >> Kilkenny.

gandroid

mathepac wrote: »

Ah sure there is, the one that runs mainly through North Tipp.

Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Borrisokane >> Nenagh >> Borrosoleigh >> Thurles >> Twomileborris >> Urlingford >> Freshford >> Kilkenny.

LOL. Good luck with that.

apoeiguq3094y

Acidflash wrote: »

Last time I drove there I went as far as junction 5 on the M6, then Tullamore, Mountmellick,Portlaoise, Kilkenny. It's a handy drive.

I hate this road, mainly because of that section outsdie portlaoise where its teasingly straight, full of people going at 40 mph, but yet never a chance to overtake.

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

I'd go this way in good weather.

mathepac wrote: »

Ah sure there is, the one that runs mainly through North Tipp.

Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Borrisokane >> Nenagh >> Borrosoleigh >> Thurles >> Twomileborris >> Urlingford >> Freshford >> Kilkenny.

Madness!

In bad weather I go through limerick and clonmel. Takes about the same time may 15 mins more, but worth it for the easier drive.

Hennybug

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

Same here, been doing that route for years after trying some others

RubyGirl

dastardly00 wrote: »

There's no "ideal" route unfortunately.
The way I go is: Galway >> Loughrea >> Portumna >> Birr >> Roscrea >> Borris in Ossory >> Durrow >> Kilkenny.

This is the best route, hubby from Kilkenny so travel this route alot.

yogalady

hi there

I find the shortest route from Limerick to Kilkenny is to take Dublin Motorway M7 to Dublin. Come off motorway at Borris in Ossory to Ballycolla to Durrow >> Kilkenny . So maybe drive to gort. Go on motorway all way to limerick use tunnel straight onto dublin motorway etc

Hope you have a good trip

slideshow bob

Thanks for all the tips.

For what it's worth I took the motorway to Kilbeggan -> Tullamore -> Portloaise -> Abbeyleix -> Durrow -> Kilkenny. Bad signage and road difficult after Tullamore (thought I was on the wrong road for a while). Improved a bit after Portloaise. 130miles, took 2hrs40min from start of motorway at Briarhill, leaving at 8am.

On the way back I came Durrow -> Borris in Ossery -> Roscrea -> Birr -> Portumna -> Loughrea -> motorway to Galway. Road not great in places, but even in the rain and dark and roadworks in Birr it was easier than the journey down somehow. 118 miles, took 2hrs25min. Slower speed, but quicker journey and also burned way less petrol.

dinneenp

heading down there on Sat, will take the Birr route.
I'll have my camera with me so if there's anything of interest on the route I'll snap it. I'm guessing Portumna boats/water might be my first stop

biko

Birr gardens

RINO87

take a walk around birr, lots of nice photo ops.