Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
At Dublin use the port tunnel to get away from the port...it's fun.
You can drive at 75mph in the republic...then down to 70 when you cross the border.You will know you've crossed the border because the line at the side of the road changes colour, and there is a break in the central reservation to allow the respective police forces to do a U turn.
Look at some of the bargains currently on offer such as free hotel rooms if you buy a meal...trying to stimulate the night time economy.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...ing-belfast-your-city-needs-you-16262900.html
You can drive at 75mph in the republic...then down to 70 when you cross the border.You will know you've crossed the border because the line at the side of the road changes colour, and there is a break in the central reservation to allow the respective police forces to do a U turn.
Look at some of the bargains currently on offer such as free hotel rooms if you buy a meal...trying to stimulate the night time economy.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...ing-belfast-your-city-needs-you-16262900.html
Last edited:
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
Quite a sweeping statement. We have few 3 lane motorways...where I have seen the most atrocious driving when in England. The accident and road death rate is now better than the rest of the UK.
London to Holyhead is a good long drive in itself... around 7-8 hours.
We used to take motorways if in a rush, otherwise A5 all the way for a more scenic route.
We used to take motorways if in a rush, otherwise A5 all the way for a more scenic route.
Ted
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Messages
- 7,065
- Location
- Bourton on Dunsmore
- Car
- Lexus RC300h F-Sport, Yamaha XVS 1100, Toyota C-HR GR sport
Go the long way.
The VERY long way.
Cork and Kerry are beautiful and *GREEN*!!
Galway is a nice town with some great bars
Try to visit Adare - a little 'chocolate box'y but very nice.
Ireland is a really nice country to drive in.
The VERY long way.
Cork and Kerry are beautiful and *GREEN*!!
Galway is a nice town with some great bars
Try to visit Adare - a little 'chocolate box'y but very nice.
Ireland is a really nice country to drive in.
Martyn_n
Active Member
It is a sweeping statement, but it is also based on personal experience. I can only say it as I see it. I've not been there for a few years so your comment about it now being better could well be true.
I'd make the same observation about driving in my home city as well if that makes my comment more palateable.
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
It does...so perhaps not worth saying.
Anyway, OP, where are you going? Just Belfast or farther afield?
Martyn_n
Active Member
OK, I take it back. Please don't keep your wits about you, it's now the safest place to drive in the UK.
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
Do keep your wits about you...wherever and when ever you're on the road. That's what you meant?
Martyn_n
Active Member
Do keep your wits about you...wherever and when ever you're on the road. That's what you meant?
That too! I honestly didn't mean to offend any one with my posting, I just responded to a request on a motoring forum for advice and gave some based on personal experience of many hundreds of miles driven over there where I found the number of poor driving incidents relatively high. Had it been requested that only positive experiences of ni be shared I could have gone on for hour's about the place.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2008
- Messages
- 2,461
- Location
- Southport
- Car
- Mine: BMW X4 2.0d M-Sport (Red) Hers: BMW X1 2.0d M-Sport (Black) Sorry about that...
As an alternative, why not drive from London to Birkenhead - a shorter drive, maybe 5 hours or so - and there are overnight ferries to both Belfast and Dublin from there.
flango
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
I regularly drive from cork to belfast, my advice driving time takes twice as long in ireland as it does in england so give yourself plenty of time.
Sat nav mapping is hopeless i have tried them all so unless you know where you are going then an irish road atlas is a must specially if you are going into remote areas.
Other than that great country and great people north and south, i always enjoy the place
Sat nav mapping is hopeless i have tried them all so unless you know where you are going then an irish road atlas is a must specially if you are going into remote areas.
Other than that great country and great people north and south, i always enjoy the place
trapperjohn
MB Enthusiast
This from a family member in Belfast. It will help you understand the way things are done.
EXPLANATION OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND SITUATION
Ireland is an island to the west of Britain but Northern Ireland is just off the mainland - not the Irish mainland, the British mainland.
The capital of Ireland is Dublin . It has a population of a million people, all of whom will be shopping in Newry this afternoon. They travel to Newry because it is in the North where the local currency is the English pound, but still pay in Euros.
Under the Irish constitution, the North used to be in Ireland , but a successful 30-year campaign of violence for Irish unity ensured that it is now in the UK. Had the campaign lasted any longer the North might now be in France.
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland . It has a population of half a million, half of whom own houses in Donegal. Donegal is in the north but not in the North. It is in the South. No, not the south, the South.
There are two parliaments in Ireland . The Dublin parliament is called the Dáil, (pronounced "Doyle"), an Irish word meaning a place where banks receive taxpayers' money. The one in Belfast is called Stormont, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning 'placebo', or deliberately ineffective drug.
Their respective jurisdictions are defined by the border, an imaginary line on the map to show fuel launderers where to dump their chemical waste and bi-products. Protestants are in favour of the border, which generates millions of pounds in smuggling for Catholics, who are totally opposed to it.
Travel between the two states is complicated because Ireland is the only country in the world with two M1 motorways. The one in the North goes west to avoid the south and the one in the South goes north to avoid the price of drink!
We have two types of democracy in Ireland . Dublin democracy works by holding a referendum and then allowing the government to judge the result. If the government thinks the result is wrong, the referendum is held again. Twice in recent years the government decided the people's choice was wrong and ordered a new referendum.
Belfast democracy works differently. It has a parliament with no opposition, so the government is always right. This system generates envy in many world capitals, especially Dublin .
Ireland has three economies - northern, southern and black. Only the black economy is in the black. The other two are in the red.
All versions of the IRA claim to be the real IRA but only one of them is the Real IRA. The North's biggest industry is the production of IRAs. Consequently, we now have the Provisional, Continuity and Real IRA. The Real IRA is by far the most popular among young graffiti writers simply because it is the easiest to spell.
Ireland is a very colourful island as can be seen by the abundant range of flags it has on offer, the flying of which shows some sort of allegience and/or identity: the tricolour, the flag of Ireland and the South. The Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and the North. The Northern Ireland flag, the flag of the six counties of the North. The Ulster flag, the flag of the 9 counties of the northern province and some of the North, the other 3 provinces are Munster, Connaught and Leinster each of which has its own flag, naturally. And of course not forgetting the flags attributed to each of the 32 counties.
I trust this clarifies things and has answered many previously unanswered questions for you!
EXPLANATION OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND SITUATION
Ireland is an island to the west of Britain but Northern Ireland is just off the mainland - not the Irish mainland, the British mainland.
The capital of Ireland is Dublin . It has a population of a million people, all of whom will be shopping in Newry this afternoon. They travel to Newry because it is in the North where the local currency is the English pound, but still pay in Euros.
Under the Irish constitution, the North used to be in Ireland , but a successful 30-year campaign of violence for Irish unity ensured that it is now in the UK. Had the campaign lasted any longer the North might now be in France.
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland . It has a population of half a million, half of whom own houses in Donegal. Donegal is in the north but not in the North. It is in the South. No, not the south, the South.
There are two parliaments in Ireland . The Dublin parliament is called the Dáil, (pronounced "Doyle"), an Irish word meaning a place where banks receive taxpayers' money. The one in Belfast is called Stormont, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning 'placebo', or deliberately ineffective drug.
Their respective jurisdictions are defined by the border, an imaginary line on the map to show fuel launderers where to dump their chemical waste and bi-products. Protestants are in favour of the border, which generates millions of pounds in smuggling for Catholics, who are totally opposed to it.
Travel between the two states is complicated because Ireland is the only country in the world with two M1 motorways. The one in the North goes west to avoid the south and the one in the South goes north to avoid the price of drink!
We have two types of democracy in Ireland . Dublin democracy works by holding a referendum and then allowing the government to judge the result. If the government thinks the result is wrong, the referendum is held again. Twice in recent years the government decided the people's choice was wrong and ordered a new referendum.
Belfast democracy works differently. It has a parliament with no opposition, so the government is always right. This system generates envy in many world capitals, especially Dublin .
Ireland has three economies - northern, southern and black. Only the black economy is in the black. The other two are in the red.
All versions of the IRA claim to be the real IRA but only one of them is the Real IRA. The North's biggest industry is the production of IRAs. Consequently, we now have the Provisional, Continuity and Real IRA. The Real IRA is by far the most popular among young graffiti writers simply because it is the easiest to spell.
Ireland is a very colourful island as can be seen by the abundant range of flags it has on offer, the flying of which shows some sort of allegience and/or identity: the tricolour, the flag of Ireland and the South. The Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and the North. The Northern Ireland flag, the flag of the six counties of the North. The Ulster flag, the flag of the 9 counties of the northern province and some of the North, the other 3 provinces are Munster, Connaught and Leinster each of which has its own flag, naturally. And of course not forgetting the flags attributed to each of the 32 counties.
I trust this clarifies things and has answered many previously unanswered questions for you!
jeff500sl
New Member
John that is a good introduction to Ireland and how things work you are so correct in your analysis well done in helping to stem the confusion that often arises.
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
I regularly drive from cork to belfast, my advice driving time takes twice as long in ireland as it does in england so give yourself plenty of time.
Sat nav mapping is hopeless i have tried them all so unless you know where you are going then an irish road atlas is a must specially if you are going into remote areas.
Other than that great country and great people north and south, i always enjoy the place
On the other hand...last Feb I left Belfast at 10am, and drove 210 miles ending south of Dublin (in the direction of Cork), and it took me 3 hours arriving at 1pm. That of course includes negotiating the Dublin bypass (M50). This was a Monday morning.
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2011
- Messages
- 164
- Car
- S204 250CGI Sport
Check the Irish sea weather at Met Office: Shipping forecast and gale warnings
You may come across cancellations on the fast ferry depending on the weather. I had texts/email the previous day to tell me that I was moved on to the cruise ferry as the fast one was cancelled.
You have time until next day 20:00 to pay the M50 motorway charge of 3 Euros (one way) on eflow.ie
You may come across cancellations on the fast ferry depending on the weather. I had texts/email the previous day to tell me that I was moved on to the cruise ferry as the fast one was cancelled.
You have time until next day 20:00 to pay the M50 motorway charge of 3 Euros (one way) on eflow.ie
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
Except if going from the port straight to Belfast...you wont pass through the toll.
So... I've made it back, but what a trip!!
Google estimated that the trip should have taken 8 hours 40 minutes to Belfast via Dublin, but due to the severe weather, especially in Wales, closures on the M6 and the A55, the bloody trip to Holyhead alone took nearly 7 hours!!
The closures on the M6 and A55 meant backroads, so the tomtom obviously knew nothing about the weather and I drove through some of the deepest snow I have ever seen. People were stranded in some of the streets and trying to get me to stop, I obviously didn't stop because I had alot of cash on me, and a ferry to catch! The tomtom completely failed about 90 miles away from Holyhead, so I had to do alot of guess work, I think I was incredibly lucky in my random road choices to get to the destination in the end!
We eventually reached holyhead 20 minutes before the ferry was due to leave, close call! On the final stretch of A55, only 1 lane was gritted, but I had to do a few very dodgey over-takes in a lane full of snow, was fun, intense and scary.
Dublin was quite nice, the people were generally good, and I didn't get any 'OMG, ITS A COLOUR!' looks, which was nice. The Gravediggers pub was quite cool, and in general we were eating pub food, and I personally thought that the level of food there was better than what I've seen here in English pubs.
But I have to say, I enjoyed Belfast alot more. The streets were easy to learn and the food was awesome. Belfast castle was good. We were there while they were rioting about the flag, didn't see much commotion which was good.
So the reason I went... was because of this:
And I thoroughly enjoyed the easy (by comparison) ride back! I'm also surprised at how fast this diesel really is, and yet it can return better motorway figures than my previous polo. This car won it for me over the 123d. I would have bought a Polo GT tdi but I couldn't find one to be honest. The build quality of this car is so close to the polo, minus 1 or 2 very fine details. All in all, very impressed.
Google estimated that the trip should have taken 8 hours 40 minutes to Belfast via Dublin, but due to the severe weather, especially in Wales, closures on the M6 and the A55, the bloody trip to Holyhead alone took nearly 7 hours!!
The closures on the M6 and A55 meant backroads, so the tomtom obviously knew nothing about the weather and I drove through some of the deepest snow I have ever seen. People were stranded in some of the streets and trying to get me to stop, I obviously didn't stop because I had alot of cash on me, and a ferry to catch! The tomtom completely failed about 90 miles away from Holyhead, so I had to do alot of guess work, I think I was incredibly lucky in my random road choices to get to the destination in the end!
We eventually reached holyhead 20 minutes before the ferry was due to leave, close call! On the final stretch of A55, only 1 lane was gritted, but I had to do a few very dodgey over-takes in a lane full of snow, was fun, intense and scary.
Dublin was quite nice, the people were generally good, and I didn't get any 'OMG, ITS A COLOUR!' looks, which was nice. The Gravediggers pub was quite cool, and in general we were eating pub food, and I personally thought that the level of food there was better than what I've seen here in English pubs.
But I have to say, I enjoyed Belfast alot more. The streets were easy to learn and the food was awesome. Belfast castle was good. We were there while they were rioting about the flag, didn't see much commotion which was good.
So the reason I went... was because of this:
And I thoroughly enjoyed the easy (by comparison) ride back! I'm also surprised at how fast this diesel really is, and yet it can return better motorway figures than my previous polo. This car won it for me over the 123d. I would have bought a Polo GT tdi but I couldn't find one to be honest. The build quality of this car is so close to the polo, minus 1 or 2 very fine details. All in all, very impressed.
Attachments
Glad you enjoyed the trip!
I live just outside Belfast...it really is a fantastic city and unrecognisable From the 80's when I was growing up. Hope you got the new titanic centre, deans restaurant and the costal road north....3 highlights not to be missed.
I live just outside Belfast...it really is a fantastic city and unrecognisable From the 80's when I was growing up. Hope you got the new titanic centre, deans restaurant and the costal road north....3 highlights not to be missed.
Users who are viewing this thread
Similar threads
