The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to surfaced roads including modern motorways. Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. The major routes were established before Irish independence and consequently take little cognisance of the border other than a change of identification number and street furniture. Northern Ireland has had motorways since 1962, and has a well-developed network of primary, secondary and local routes. The Republic started work on its motorway network in the early 1980s; and historically, the road network there was once somewhat less well developed. However, the Celtic Tiger economic boom and an influx of European Union structural funding, saw national roads and regional roads in the Republic come up to international standard quite quickly. In the mid-1990s, for example, the Republic went from having only a few short sections of motorway to a network of motorways, dual carriageways and other improvements on most major routes as part of a National Development Plan. Road construction in Northern Ireland now tends to proceed at a slower pace than in the Republic, although a number of important bypasses and upgrades to dual carriageway have recently been completed or are about to begin.
Claremorris is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. It is the fastest growing town in the county. There was a 31% increase in the town's population between 2006 and 2011 and a 23% increase between 2002 and 2006. The population of Claremorris in the 2016 Census was 3,687, rising from 3,412 in the 2011 Census.
The N6 road is a national primary road in Ireland from junction 11 on the M4 motorway at Kinnegad to Galway city. The N6 and N4 form a continuous motorway or dual carriageway from Dublin city centre to Galway City passing in an east–west direction through the midlands of Ireland. Most of the road is motorway standard with the exception of the Athlone bypass and stretches of urban road in Galway City, which are the only sections of the road that remain designated as N6 dual carriageway. There is one toll on the road outside Galway city. Major upgrades to the road were completed in December 2009 completing the first intercity motorway/dual carriageway in Ireland and the New Junctions of M6 are built and will be 164 km.
The N5 road is a national primary road in Ireland, connecting Longford town with Westport. It is the main access route from Dublin to most of County Mayo, including the county's largest towns, Castlebar, Ballina, and Westport.
Ballinrobe is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. As of the 2016 census, the population was 2,786.
Partry is a village and a civil parish formerly called Ballyovey in County Mayo, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the N84 and R330 roads between the towns of Ballinrobe and Castlebar, and between Lough Carra and Lough Mask. The lakes Cloon Lough and Lough Nacorralea are located near Partry.
The N17 road is a national primary road in Ireland, and is part of the Atlantic Corridor route. It begins in County Galway and ends in County Sligo. On 27 September 2017 the southern, Tuam–Galway, section was upgraded to motorway status and designated M17.
Kilmaine or Kilmain is a barony and village in County Mayo, Ireland.
The N18 road is a national primary road in Ireland, connecting the cities of Limerick and Galway. Ennis and Gort are two major towns on the route, and Shannon Airport is reached via the connecting N19. The west coast route continues on to Sligo as the N17. The section from Limerick to the N19 junction forms part of European route E20, and the entire route is part of the proposed Atlantic Corridor. The section of motorway from Shannon to Claregalway is designated the M18 motorway. The tolled Limerick Tunnel forms part of the route.
A regional road in the Republic of Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route, but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three-digit route numbers, prefixed by "R". The equivalent road category in Northern Ireland are B roads.
A national secondary road is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national primary roads. National secondary roads are designated with route numbers higher than those used for primary roads, but with the same "N" prefix. Routes N51 and higher are all national secondary roads.
The N59 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It commences in County Sligo, south of Sligo Town at the Belladrehid interchange with the N4 north of Ballysadare. The route circles around the west of Ireland, passing west from Sligo into County Mayo and through Ballina. The N59 continues around Mayo, proceeding indirectly to Westport. Continuing south through Mayo into County Galway, the road passes through the village of Leenaun. The 182-year-old bridge in the centre of the village, carrying the road across the River Lahill, collapsed in floods on 18 July 2007. Due to the local terrain and road network, the diversionary route for getting from the south of the village to Westport was 110 km long. A temporary bridge was opened eight days after the floods, on 27 July. It has since been replaced by a new bridge.
The R446 road is a regional road in Ireland. The road connects Kinnegad in County Westmeath to Galway City. Prior to the construction of the M6 motorway the R446 formed the main N6 road connecting Dublin and Galway. Following the opening of the M6; the old N6 road was downgraded to regional road status and was designated as the R446. The road is an alternative route between Galway and Dublin and runs in parallel to the M6.
The N60 road is a national secondary road in Ireland, linking Castlebar, County Mayo to Roscommon town via Claremorris, Ballyhaunis and Castlerea. The busiest section of the N60 is between Castlebar and Claremorris, as this is one of the main links from Co Mayo to the Irish motorway network at Tuam. This section of the route carries more than 7,000 vehicles daily.
The R420 road is a regional road in Ireland, which runs northwest-southeast from the R446 near Moate in County Westmeath to the R445 just west of Monasterevin. The road travels through the towns of Clara, Tullamore & Portarlington. The route is 35 km (22 mi) long.
The R331 road is a regional road in southeast County Mayo, Ireland. The route connects the towns of Claremorris and Ballinrobe, and links the N60 road with the N84 road.
The R330 road is a regional road in west central County Mayo in Ireland. It connects the N5 and N59 roads at Westport to the N84 road at the village of Partry, 21.9 kilometres (13.6 mi) away. It meets the R300 road between Cloonee and Partry.
The R334 road is a regional road in south County Mayo and north County Galway in Ireland. It connects the N84 road at Ballinrobe to the N84 road again at Headford, 20.8 kilometres (12.9 mi) to the south. It passes to the east of Lough Mask and Lough Corrib.
The R332 road is a regional road in County Galway and County Mayo in Ireland. It connects the N63 road at Horseleap Cross near Moylough in County Galway, via Tuam, to the N84 road at Kilmaine in County Mayo, 38 kilometres (24 mi) away.
