National secondary road

The N59 road

A national secondary road (Irish: Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) 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 100 km/h (62.5 mph), as along with national primary routes, they fall into the speed limit category of national roads.

There are 2654 km of national secondary roads in Ireland, making up slightly over 50% of the entire national route (national primary and national secondary) network.^[1] 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 the N69 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.

Traditionally national secondary roads generally would not bypass towns on their routes although there now stands an increasing number of exceptions: the N52 bypasses Nenagh, Mullingar and the centre of Dundalk (as a relief road) along with now complete N52 bypass of Tullamore. The N55 (along with the N3) bypasses Cavan, the N56 forms part of the Donegal bypass, the N61 and the N63 bypass Roscommon, the N69 forms part of the Tralee bypass, the N71 bypasses Halfway and Skibbereen, the N74 bypasses Cashel, the N76 bypasses Callan, the N77 forms the northern part of the Kilkenny ring road, the N80 bypasses Carlow and the N85 bypasses Ennis. 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. A large number of less important Trunk Roads became regional roads when the road classification system changed from 1977 onwards, 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 (31 December 2013)
Road Name	Description	Length
N51	Drogheda – Slane (N2) – Navan (N3) – Athboy – Delvin (N52 to Mullingar)	52.995 km (32.930 mi)
N52	(runs around the east of) Dundalk (N1) – Ardee (N2, N33) – Kells (N3) – Delvin (N51) – Mullingar – Tyrrellspass (joins N6) Kilbeggan – Durrow – Tullamore (N80) – Birr (N62) – Borrisokane (N65) – (N7 east of Nenagh)	177.693 km (110.413 mi)
N53	Dundalk to Castleblayney (a short section of the road becomes the A37 where it runs through County Armagh)	18.122 km (11.260 mi)
N54	Monaghan (N2) – Clones – Cavan (N3) (a short section of the road becomes the A3 where it runs through County Fermanagh)	34.626 km (21.516 mi)
N55	(N3 just outside Cavan) – Granard – Edgeworthstown (N4) – (N6 Athlone ringroad)	78.816 km (48.974 mi)
N56	(N15 just east of Donegal) – (R263 near Killybegs) – Glenties – Dungloe – Gweedore – Dunfanaghy – Letterkenny (N14)	157.071 km (97.599 mi)
N58	Foxford (N26) – (N5 between Swinford and Castlebar)	11.259 km (6.996 mi)
N59	(N4 to Sligo) – Ballina (N26) – Bangor Erris – Rosturk – Westport (N5) – Clifden – Oughterard – Moycullen – Galway (N6)	297.598 km (184.919 mi)
N60	Castlebar – Claremorris (N17) – Ballyhaunis – Castlerea – Ballymoe – Roscommon	92.217 km (57.301 mi)
N61	Athlone (N6) – Knockcroghery – Roscommon – Tulsk (N5) – Boyle (N4)	74.193 km (46.101 mi)
N62	N6 near Athlone to M8 at Horse and Jockey) N6 – Ferbane – Cloghan – Birr – Roscrea – Templemore – Thurles – Horse and Jockey (M8)	96.625 km (60.040 mi)
N63	(N63 Galway city to Longford town) Galway – Claregalway – Lackagh – Turloughmore – Abbeyknockmoy – Moylough – Mountbellew – Newbridge – Ballygar – Mount Talbot – Athleague – Roscommon – Lanesborough-Ballyleague – Longford (N5)	96.393 km (59.896 mi)
N65	M6 near Loughrea to N52 at Borrisokane; crossing the River Shannon at Portumna	52.518 km (32.633 mi)
N66	M6 near Loughrea to M18 at Gort	27.655 km (17.184 mi)
N67	Kilcolgan – Kinvara – Ballyvaughan – Lisdoonvarna – Ennistymon (N85) – Kilkee – Kilrush (N68) – (ferry pier near Killimer) (ferry pier near Tarbert) – Tarbert (N69)	128.743 km (79.997 mi)
N68	Kilrush to Ennis	40.569 km (25.208 mi)
N69	Dock Road (Limerick) – Mungret – Clarina – Kildimo – (Askeaton) – Foynes – Tarbert (N67) – Listowel – Tralee (N21, N22, N70, N86)	97.476 km (60.569 mi)
N70	(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	141.690 km (88.042 mi)
N71	(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^{[disambiguation needed]} – Killarney (N22, N72)	186.238 km (115.723 mi)
N72	Killorglin – Killarney (N22) – Rathmore – Mallow (N20) – Fermoy (N8) – Lismore – Dungarvan (N25)	165.923 km (103.100 mi)
N73	Mitchelstown (N8) – (N72 east of Mallow)	34.296 km (21.311 mi)
N74	(N8) Cashel – Golden – Kilfeakle – Tipperary (N24)	19.915 km (12.375 mi)
N75	Thurles to the N8 near Two-Mile Borris	7.552 km (4.693 mi)
N76	(N10) Kilkenny Ring Road – Ballymack – Callan bypass – Ninemilehouse – (N24 east of Clonmel)	43.686 km (27.145 mi)
N77	(N10) Kilkenny Ring Road – (N78) – Ballyragget – (N8) at Durrow	48.742 km (30.287 mi)
N78	(N77) – Castlecomer – (N80) – Athy – (M9) at Kilcullen	50.671 km (31.485 mi)
N80	(M6) near Moate – Clara – (N52) in Tullamore – Mountmellick – crosses the (M7) at Portlaoise (connects to M7 via R445) – Stradbally – (N78) Carlow – (M9) near Ballon – (N81) – Kildavin – Bunclody – (N11) near Enniscorthy	114.685 km (71.262 mi)
N81	Dublin (Terenure, Tallaght) – (N82) – Baltinglass – Tullow – (N80 just east of Ballon)	76.784 km (47.711 mi)
N82	Citywest Road (N81 near Tallaght) – (J3 N7 near Clondalkin)	2.554 km (1.587 mi)
N83	Tuam – Dunmore – Cloonfad – Ballyhaunis – Tooreen – N17 south of Charlestown	45.222 km (28.100 mi)
N84	Galway – Cloonboo – Headford – Shrule – Kilmaine – Ballinrobe – Castlebar	73.545 km (45.699 mi)
N85	Ennis (N68) – Ennistymon (N67)	31.858 km (19.796 mi)
N86	Tralee – Annascaul – Lispole – Dingle	50.236 km (31.215 mi)
N87	Belturbet (N3) – Ballyconnell – Swanlinbar – (border with Northern Ireland where it becomes the A32)	28.136 km (17.483 mi)
Total	National Secondary route network	2,653.749 km (1,648.963 mi)

Defunct routes

N57 road – Defunct route designation. Swinford – Ballina route prior to its redesignation as the N26 National primary road.
N64 road – Defunct route designation. Oranmore – Claregalway route prior to its redesignation as the N18 National primary road.
N79 road – Defunct route designation. Enniscorthy – New Ross route prior to its redesignation as the N30 National primary road.