National secondary road

File:National secondary road N59.jpg

The N59 on the shore of Kylemore Lough in County Galway

A national secondary road (Template:Langx) 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.

National secondary roads have a default speed limit of 100km/h, but this is planned to reduce to 80km/h in 2025 under the Road Traffic Act 2024 following recommendations from a review of speed limits carried out by the Department of Transport in 2023.

There are 2657 km of national secondary roads in Ireland, making up slightly over 50% of the entire national route (national primary and national secondary) network. National secondary routes are generally more poorly maintained than primary routes (although their quality can vary widely), but often carry more traffic than regional roads. Almost the entire network of national secondary roads is single carriageway, although there are some short sections of dual carriageway on the Tallaght bypass section of the N81, on the N52 at Dundalk, on the N85 at Ennis, on the N62 at Athlone, on both the N69 and N70 at Tralee and on the N71 between Cork and Bandon. Typically, national secondary roads are of a similar standard or higher than regional roads although some are of lower quality than the better sections of regional roads. Many of them have been resurfaced with higher quality pavements in recent years with relatively smooth surfaces and good road markings and signposting. However, road widths and alignments are often inadequate, with many narrow and winding sections.

In the past, most national secondary roads would have run through the centres of the towns on their routes; however, recently, that is less often the case. For example:

• The N52 bypasses Nenagh (together with the M7), Tullamore, Mullingar, Kells and the centre of Dundalk (as a relief road)
• The N55 (together with the N3) bypasses Cavan.
• The N56 forms part of the Donegal bypass and the Mountcharles bypass.
• The N69 and N70 form part of the Tralee bypass.
• The N71 bypasses Halfway and Skibbereen.
• The N74 (together with the M8) bypasses Cashel.
• The N76 bypasses Callan.
• The N77 forms the northern part of the Kilkenny ring road.
• The N80 bypasses Carlow.
• The N85 bypasses Ennis (together with the M18).

The former N8 bypass of Mitchelstown was re-classified as the N73 when the Fermoy (Moorepark) to Kilbehenny section of the M8 was completed.

Most national secondary roads were originally Trunk Roads under the old system of road classification in Ireland, although some sections of national secondary routes were formerly Link Roads. Many less important Trunk Roads became regional roads when the road classification system changed from 1977 onward, including some roads, such as the N72 between Killarney and Killorglin, the N86 and the N87, which were originally re-classified as regional roads but later re-classified again as national secondary routes. In 1994, three national secondary roads were reclassified as national primary roads: the N57 between Swinford and Ballina became the N26, the N64 between Oranmore and Claregalway became part of the N18 and the N79 between New Ross and Enniscorthy became the N30. In addition, a section of the N60 between Castlebar and Westport became part of the N5.

Some national secondary roads, though not arterial routes between major cities, connect scenic areas to major population centres. For example, the N59 through County Galway and County Mayo, the N70 road through County Kerry (see Ring of Kerry) and the N71 through West Cork. For this reason, many national secondary roads are well-travelled by tourists.

List of national secondary roads

(XXXX) = Junction with road XXXX, e.g. (N21) = Junction with N21 road

National secondary roads in Ireland
Road name	Description	Length (km)	Length (mi)
	(M1) west of Drogheda – Slane (N2) – Navan (M3) – Athboy – Delvin (N52 to Mullingar)
	Ardee (N2) – Kells (N3) – Delvin (N51) – Mullingar – (Joins M6) near Tyrrellspass – (Leaves M6) near Kilbeggan – Durrow – Tullamore (N80) – Birr (N62) – Borrisokane (N65) – (M7 west of Nenagh)
	Dundalk to Castleblayney (a short section of the road becomes the A37 where it runs through County Armagh)
	Monaghan (N2) – Clones – Cavan (N3) (a short section of the road becomes the A3 where it runs through County Fermanagh)
	(N3 just outside Cavan) – Granard – Edgeworthstown (N4) – (N6 Athlone ringroad)
	(N15 just east of Donegal) – (R263 near Killybegs) – Glenties – Dungloe – Gweedore – Dunfanaghy – Letterkenny (N14)
	Foxford (N26) – (N5 between Swinford and Castlebar)
	(N4 to Sligo) – Ballina (N26) – Bangor Erris – Rosturk – Westport (N5) – Clifden – Oughterard – Moycullen bypass – Galway (N6)
	Castlebar – Claremorris (N17) – Ballyhaunis – Castlerea – Ballymoe – Roscommon
	Athlone (N6) – Knockcroghery – Roscommon – Tulsk (N5) – Boyle (N4)
	M6 near Athlone to M8 at Horse and Jockey) M6 – Ferbane – Cloghan – Birr – Roscrea – Templemore – Thurles – Horse and Jockey (M8)
	(N63 Galway city to Longford town) Galway – Claregalway – Lackagh – Turloughmore – Abbeyknockmoy – Moylough – Mountbellew – Newbridge – Ballygar – Mount Talbot – Athleague – Roscommon – Lanesborough-Ballyleague – Longford (N5)
	M6 north of Loughrea to N52 at Borrisokane; crossing the River Shannon at Portumna
	Galway – Kinvara – Ballyvaughan – Lisdoonvarna – Ennistymon (N85) – Kilkee – Kilrush (N68) – (ferry pier near Killimer) (ferry pier near Tarbert) – Tarbert (N69)
	Kilrush to Ennis
	Dock Road (Limerick) – Mungret – Clarina – Kildimo – (Askeaton) – Foynes – Tarbert (N67) – Listowel – Tralee (N21, N22, N70, N86)
	(Comprises most of the Ring of Kerry) – (N70 Killarney Road at Kenmare) – Sneem – Castlecove – Caherdaniel – Waterville – Cahersiveen – Killorglin – (N72) – Milltown – Castlemaine – (N86) – (N21, N69) Tralee
	(N22) Cork (Wilton Road, Bishopstown Road, Bandon Road) – Halfway bypass – Innishannon – Bandon – Ballinascarty – Clonakilty – Rosscarbery – Leap – Skibbereen – (R592 to Ballydehob) – Bantry – Ballylickey – Glengarriff – Kenmare – (N70) – Muckross – Killarney (N22, N72)
	Killorglin – Killarney (N22) – Rathmore – Mallow (N20) – Fermoy (M8) – Lismore – Dungarvan (N25)
	Mitchelstown (M8) – (N72 east of Mallow)
	(M8) Cashel – Golden – Kilfeakle – Tipperary (N24)
	Thurles to the M8 near Two-Mile Borris
	(N10) Kilkenny Ring Road – Ballymack – Callan bypass – Ninemilehouse – (N24 east of Clonmel)
	(N10) Kilkenny Ring Road – (N78) – Ballyragget – (M7) at Portlaoise
	(N77) – Castlecomer – (N80) – Athy – (M9) near Ballitore
	(N52) near Tullamore – Mountmellick – crosses the (M7) at Portlaoise (connects to M7 via R445) – Stradbally – (N78) Carlow – (M9) near Tinryland – (N81) – Kildavin – Bunclody – (N11) near Enniscorthy
	(M50) at Templeogue – Tallaght Bypass – Baltinglass – Tullow – (N80 just east of Ballon)
	Tuam – Dunmore – Cloonfad – Ballyhaunis – Tooreen – N17 south of Charlestown
	Galway – Cloonboo – Headford – Shrule – Kilmaine – Ballinrobe – Castlebar
	Ennis (M18) – Ennistymon (N67)
	Tralee – Annascaul – Lispole – Dingle
	Belturbet (N3) – Ballyconnell – Swanlinbar – (border with Northern Ireland where it becomes the A32)
Total length of network:

Defunct routes

• : Swinford – Ballina; upgraded to a primary route as the N26 in 1994.
• : Oranmore – Claregalway; upgraded to primary route status as the N18, but after the M18/M17 route was completed to Tuam in 2017, it was downgraded to the R381.
• : Gort – Loughrea; downgraded to the R380 in 2017 after the M18 was extended to the M6.
• : Enniscorthy – New Ross; upgraded to a primary route as the N30 in 1994.
• : N7 to the N81 in southwest Dublin; redesignated as the L2011 in 2012.

Gallery

• N69, Tralee Bypass, County Kerry
  N69, Tralee Bypass, County Kerry
• N62, County Tipperary
  N62, County Tipperary
• N72, near Mallow, County Cork
  N72, near Mallow, County Cork
• N73, Kildorrery, County Cork
  N73, Kildorrery, County Cork
• N76, Killamery, County Kilkenny
  N76, Killamery, County Kilkenny
• Signpost at N80, Portlaoise
  Signpost at N80, Portlaoise
• N81 at its junction with the R412 in County Wicklow
  N81 at its junction with the R412 in County Wicklow

See also

• Roads in Ireland
• Motorways in the Republic of Ireland
• National primary road

References

• S.I. No. 209/1994: Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1994
• Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 – Department of Transport
• [2] – National Roads Authority: National Route Lengths 2007