Pick the direction
If you are coming from Belfast, start with the M1. If you are heading west, the M4 and the M6. If you are going south, the M7 and whatever of its branches apply to you.
Ireland · roads and views
Roads, tunnels and bridges of Ireland
Eight long notes on the roads that cross the country: the motorway network, the tunnels under water, the cable-stayed bridges, tolling, signs, coastal roads and the places worth stopping at. Each one has text, tables and diagrams.
Eight notes · 2026
8Long notes, each readable on its own
120km/h on a motorway, subject to signs
3Major tunnels in the Republic
112For danger to people, or 999
The notes
Each note stands on its own. Start with the network if you only want one.
01
Motorways
The M network from north to south, junction numbers and how to read them.
Read the note
02
Tunnels
Dublin Port Tunnel, the Jack Lynch Tunnel and the Limerick Tunnel.
Read the note
03
Bridges
From the Ha'penny to today's cable-stayed bridges, and where to see them.
Read the note
04
Road tolls
Barrier-free tolling on the M50, and which routes charge a toll.
Read the note
05
Coastal and mountain roads
Wild Atlantic Way, Ring of Kerry, Conor Pass and the narrow roads.
Read the note
06
Signs and speed limits
Blue, green, white, brown: how to read Irish road signs.
Read the note
07
Trip planning
Distances, driving time, fuel, parking, weather and emergencies.
Read the note
08
Places to stop
Views, ruins and viewpoints beside the roads.
Read the noteHow to use the site
Three approaches that work almost every time.
Read the road type
Blue, green, white, brown: the colour tells you what is ahead. This matters more than the number on the sign, and it is always clearer.
Allow yourself the time
Coastal roads are not as fast as motorways. Put one stop in every two hours of the plan, and do not expect motorway speed on a narrow road.
If there is danger right now
m5online cannot help with an emergency. This page is informational only. The numbers below are the ones to call.
Accident on a motorway
Stand behind the barrier
112
A problem with a road
A sign or a surface
The signs note
How the roads run
Dublin is the hub of every main road. You cannot go south without crossing the city's outskirts on the M50 or on the roads that lead off it. The ring is a motorway roughly 45 kilometres long, linking the M1 to the north, the M2, M3, M4 and M6 to the west, the M7 and M8 to the south, and the M11 south along the east coast.
On the west coast there is no major motorway. National roads, regional roads and local roads make the connection, and those are the most interesting roads in the country. The Wild Atlantic Way is made of them, and marked with brown signs.
Who publishes the site
m5online publishes these notes. It is not a transport service, a travel agency or a toll operator. There is no offer, price or payment on the site, and an email to us does not create a contract. The full rules are in the editorial policy and the disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
The short answers to what people ask most.
Can m5online help me book a trip?
No. This is an information site. No tickets, tours or bookings are sold, and no payment is accepted.
What is the speed limit on a motorway?
The general maximum is 120 km/h, but lower limits are signposted in places. Follow the sign and the weather.
Is there a toll on every major road?
No. Only parts of the network are tolled. There is a general list in the note on road tolls.
Are the pictures photographs?
They are photographs stored on this site, and they are often not photographs of specific places in Ireland. This is explained in the editorial policy.
May I reuse the material?
You may quote it with a link to the page. The full terms are on the terms of use page.