Should You Drive In Ireland?

 I asked myself this question--only once. For me, the answer was YES! I'd been to Ireland a few times, and always on a motorcoach tour. This is a great way to see a country. The first time, our driver got a wee bit lost. That was wonderful because we ended up on a local road and a few sheep spilled into the street. I do love to get lost! In Ireland, though, the local roads are windy and of course I got motion sickness.

For this trip, I wanted to experience aspects of Ireland that I couldn't get on a motorcoach tour. And, I got exactly what I wanted!

I'll start with my mistakes.

MISTAKE #1--CAR RENTAL SET FOR TOO EARLY ON DAY ONE

Our plane landed at 5 am. I knew that I'd be tired and should not drive. So, I had booked a hotel for the day before. Two weeks before landing, I called them to remind them I'd be in the next morning vs the day of the reservation. I used an airport hotel so we could get the shuttle from the airport to the hotel and get a little shut eye. (I had only slept for two hours on the flight over.) 

Once I got into the room, I grabbed my PJs out of my carry on, changed and jumped into bed. My husband on the other hand took a shower then set up his CPAP and then laid down to sleep. Of course, with all the racket he made, I was unable to sleep.

We were in the hotel from 6 am to 9:30 am, and I only slept for an hour before I had to shower, get dressed and leave. Our car rental was for 10 am--too early!

MISTAKE #2--SPEND TWO DAYS IN DUBLIN BEFORE YOU START DRIVING 

I should have stayed in Dublin at the beginning of the trip--not the end. Then, I could have dropped off my luggage at the hotel, had a little breakfast and started exploring Dublin. I always enjoy Dublin! 

Another option is to book a night prior (my flying night) and check in early the morning of my arrival. Then, I could take a little nap before exploring Dublin.

Why will I do this next time? Because I was really too tired to begin driving (for the first time) on the left-side of the road. I side-swiped two curbs which removed some rubber from the tires. Yes, I took out the extra insurance on the tires and the wheels (thank heavens) so I wasn't charged for any damage. I didn't take pictures of the tires, the windshield and the various sections of the car--which could have easily turned into Mistake #3! Take pictures of the entire rental car for your records.

Had I spent two days in Dublin, I would have caught up on my sleep and adjusted to the 5-hour time difference. When I hit the road, my driving would have been better.

DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE

I don't know why I didn't realize that the steering wheel was going to be on the "passenger side" of the car. This really changes one's perspective of the road. It's easy to become accustomed to driving on the left vs the right because you're following the traffic. On narrower roads, the view of oncoming traffic freaked me out.

On the "M" expressways, you will have two lanes on each side. Having a car going in the same direction is not a problem. On the National "N" roads, you will have two lanes vs four with median. You still have plenty of room to drive. The Regional or "R" roads aren't bad either! However, the local "L" lanes are an entirely different story. 

LOCAL ROADS--A MIXED BAG

You will sometimes have a lane that seems to be one and a half car widths. That means when a local person (who drives way toooooooo fast) is heading toward you from the opposite direction, you just want to scream in terror! Sometimes, you can get by each other without having a collision and ending your life in the beautiful Irish countryside. 

I remember thinking "if I'm going to die, it's only fitting that I die in the country of my ancestors". But, who wants to think that while on vacation?!

At other times, somebody needs to find a little space to pull aside and let the vehicle in the opposing direction pass by. Many Irish people are very good about pulling over and letting you pass. You need to be ready to do the same in return. 

Then, there are those people (and they're all over the world) who fancy themselves race car drivers. The speed limit may be 40 kph (which is 25 mph), and they're driving what looks like 45 mph. In that case, I would really slow down if there's no pull-off on the road. 

More about the "L" roads:  in addition to being narrow, these roads are typically hilly and full of swerves. Some had very old stone bridges on them. The edges of the bridge went right into the lane. So you really need to slow down in order to drive around that stone edge. My husband grabbed his seat and yelled that the bridge was coming right at him. (I really wasn't going to hit the bridge--even though the windshield damage would have been covered.)

My impression is that many of the roads are not maintained. This is not true for the Motorways (M roads). You'll find potholes and patchwork. Also, there's not a sewer system running under these roads. You won't have drainage after a rain so you really want to slow it down to avoid hydroplaning. 

In defense of the "L" roads:  you will see beautiful parts of Ireland that you'll only see by driving! Really beautiful! We also journeyed through many small towns. When we were hungry, it was easy to pull over and enjoy a pub. We didn't have one bad meal in Ireland! In hindsight, I really am glad that we drove many "L" roads. 

Google Maps and the iPhone maps will include Local roads in your directions so I would map everything out before leaving the States. You may have better luck avoiding the Local roads in that case. After three days of driving, I was much better on the Local roads, but I was still frightened when an opposing driver sped instead of doing the speed limit. 

The trucks! Most of the truck drivers are very good about moving to the left when you are headed toward them. A few will ride the line which is frightening. You have to remember that on the "R" roads you really do have enough room in the lane--even when the truck is on the line.

SHOULD YOU DRIVE IN IRELAND

We had an incredible trip to Ireland! My husband has never been there, and I think he would have enjoyed himself whether we took a train or motorcoach trip, but I'm so glad I drove! Driving made the trip completely customizable and special. We had delicious meals; we saw beautiful parts of the country; we visited places we would not have been able to visit in a group. We did whatever we wanted when we wanted. We can't wait to return! And, next time, my husband wants to drive too.