Best route from south Dublin to Clonmel

C

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Which driving route from southside Dublin to Clonmel would be best. The Carlow/Kilkenny seems to be the shortest option, though going via Portlaoise would give the benefit of motorway for more of the journey.

Has anyone got good or bad experiences on these routes?
 
Carlow Kilkenny route is the shortest miles wise but the roads aren't great and it takes close to three hours. I travel that direction a lot and down the Portlaoise way you'd make it in a little over 2 hours and it's cruise control on straight roads most of the way!
 
Dublin-Potrlaoise-Cashel now excellent route - motorway almost all the way. Cashel to Clonmel via Rosegreen not a great road but just 20-30 minutes.
 
I do this regulary and it really depends on when you are travelling.. I sometimes cut across old bawn and onto the tallaght by pass and then down the back road through Rathcoole and on to the Naas dual carriage way at Avoca. Then it depends on when you are travelling.. Both journeys can take anywhere between 1hr 50mins to 2.5 hours once you hit the Naas dual carriage way. Of late I have been going via Cashel which is a much better road and once the final by pass is in place will take a lot less time than the carlow / kilkenny route.
 
Thanks all. I'll aim to leave around 6.30 to avoid the madness on the M50. Anywhere good to stop for breakkie on the way?
 
The Meridian Hotel on the roundabout to Cork Road (take exit for Portlaoise off roundabout), a couple of places in Abbeyleix including the hotel on your left as you leave Abbeyleix, the Castle Arms Hotel / Restaurant on the left in Durrow and a little cafe up the road from it, Josephine's in Urlingford (Green Apple filling station on the right as you leave Urlingford), the Horse and Jockey Hotel (in Horse and Jockey) and various filling stations with the ubiquitous breakfast roll.
 
I take the Carlow\Kilkenny route a lot too. It's definitly the shortest route as long as you don't get caught with heavy traffic in Carlow. As soon as the Carlow bypass opens it will cut the journey by 20-30mins I would imagine.
 
I live in Clonmel. The Dublin Cashel route is the best and just before Christmas the Cashel Cahir bypass has opened giving 14 kM more of motorway so instead of using the Cashel Rosegreen Clonmel road (v bad) you can stay on the motorway from north of cashel to east of Cahir and then join the Cahir Clonmel road without going through Cahir. A little longer but just as quick and easier to drive.

Brekkie "Josephenes" in Urlingford or the New Midway hotel on the Motorway at Portlaoise has an "O' Briens" and a foodcourt
 
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HighFlier said:
I live in Clonmel. The Dublin Cashel route is the best and just before Christmas the Cashel Cahir bypass has opened giving 14 kM more of motorway so instead of using the Cashel Rosegreen Clonmel road (v bad) you can stay on the motorway from north of cashel to east of Cahir and then join the Cahir Clonmel road without going through Cahir. A little longer but just as quick and easier to drive.

Brekkie "Josephenes" in Urlingford or the New Midway hotel on the Motorway at Portlaoise has an "O' Briens" and a foodcourt
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Many thanks. Very helpful. Would you care to estimate the time from Newlands Cross to Clonmel, leaving Dublin early morning?

Should I turn off the N8 at the junction with N24, which appears to be north-west of Caher from this map?
 
Leaving early morning should see road quieter so I reckon 2.5 hours. I do not think the new motorway opened at Xmas and mentioned above by Highflier is on the map. You do not enter Cahir at all. About 2 miles from Cahir watch for the new signs for Clonmel, Waterford which will bring you onto the new 14km motorway and directly into Clonmel.
 
Complainer said:
... Would you care to estimate the time from Newlands Cross to Clonmel, leaving Dublin early morning?...
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Depends on what you mean by early - 5:00 to 5:30 is early, after that you'll meet the convoys of HGV's emerging.
2.5 hours excluding brekkie should see you there comfortably. Watch out for ice warning signs between Abbeyleix and Urlingford after you enter onto the Cork road.

IIRC there is a stretch between Durrow and Cullahill and another between Cullahill and Johnstown that ice up in this kind of weather and there was rain today.
 
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Thanks folks - great information here. Much appreciated.

And no, I won't be on the road at 5.00 am. Hopefully, I'll still be in the land of nod at that time.
 
A long overdue thank-you to those who gave great advice on this thread. I went all the way down the N7 to the junction near Cashel, and turned off onto the N25, which was fairly painless. The hotel on the far side of Abbeyleix did a nice breakfast, though it was a little surreal to be eating in a hotel bar at 8 am.

Pity no-one warned me about the Garda speed trap on the straight coming out of Durrow - my first 2 penalty points!
 
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