DRIVING IN IRELAND

It depends a lot on where in Ireland you go, because in the west the roads are smaller, and many times they have stone walls on either side of the road. That can get a little scary at times. Still, I have driven in Ireland numerous times and haven't had a problem. The other drivers (if you encounter them) are, as a rule, very courteous and friendly. Large trucks will pull over to let you pass. Particularly if you are mostly on the larger roads, you won't have a problem. Some of the smaller roads are notoriously narrow, so you do have to be careful. If you're traveling between cities on the motorways you won't see a lot of difference between Ireland and our interstates (except you're on the left, and instead of exits in some places there are roundabouts). I love driving in Ireland and would not hesitate to do it whenever I go there. (FYI I'm in my early 50's and drove in Ireland for the first time in 2001).

We have driven in western Ireland several times, using the back roads whenever possible. The only one we found impossible (and impassable) was south of Clifden. We were looking for the bog road, somehow ended up on something else which led to the site of a famous 1920's plane crash, and had to back out a mile through mud. It was more amusing than scary. None of the other roads were ever a problem. The roads are narrow and you might scratch the car, but they did not feel dangerous. Except around Dublin we did not find any roads that resembled I-5, but a few were double lanes each way. Most of the rental cars you get in Ireland come with small dings and scratches, caused by the shrubs which line the road and the abundant stones in the roads.

Just a heads up on Ireland and CDW coverage: If you normally rely on your credit card CDW coverage, be aware that most credit cards exclude Ireland from their CDW coverage (there's reasons for that). If you decline the rental company CDW, under the assumption your credit card will cover it, it probably won't and in the event of damage to the car you'd be liable for it up to the value of the car--probably not a good thing when driving in Ireland since dings and scratches (sometimes worse) are more likely than when driving here.

If your husband drives all the time in England, I think he'll be fine. Has he ever driven in the Cotswolds? If so, it's similar to Ireland in that the roads are very narrow. I wouldn't say they are scary or dangerous, but it can be stressful. There are those moments when you are coming around a bend and hoping there isn't another car coming towards you. Also, there is the occasional sheep. I agree that the drivers are courteous, and people generally drive slow. Generally, the most narrow roads are the ones that don't have a lot of traffic. Be sure to allow a lot of time because you won't be driving 60 on the back roads.

Sheep, cows, hedges, stone walls, narrow roads, tight corners -- AH! the joys of driving in Ireland. You should not have any trouble, especially since you already have experience driving on the left. Get SDW and CDW insurance and take photos of your rental car and have the attendant make note of all previous scratches and dents.

The "N" roads are generally very good -- comparable to US 4 lane divided highways or decent 2 lanes roads. Some get a little dicey. In general the "R" roads are paved tho narrower and mostly very bumpy. The yellow non numbered roads are generally one lane backroads. Get an Ordinance Survey Atlas and you will not have problems finding your way.

There has been some great discussion on this forum in the past couple of months. Read back thru old Ireland posts and you might get more feed back.

If you pay attention and use your head, you will be fine. It is very different from driving in the U.S., but nothing that an experienced driver cannot handle.

We went in September 2007 and drove around for 10 days, mostly in Western Ireland, and had no problems. We rented a stick shift and did not ask for a/c. We used the savings to pay for the Super-CDW and enjoyed the peace of mind of not worrying so much about the car.

The limited access highways are primarily around Dublin, so if you travel even a little distance from there, it will require secondary roads. Those roads are very narrow, and where we might have a berm in the U.S., they often have hedgerows or stone walls. I was told that the hard edge of the roadway will slice your tires. (Even Super-CDW might not cover wheels and tires and perhaps windshields, so keep the car on the road.) The parking spaces can be pretty narrow in places too. It was nice to park in a tight spot without worrying if the other driver hit us with the car door because the Super-CDW would cover it.

I drove all over Ireland and I'm not at my best driving on the "other side of the road". That said I never had a problem, was just extra careful. If your husband is comfortable driving in England it'll be even easier in Ireland. The roads can be narrow but dangerous? Na... Dangerous is L.A. during rush hour. Driving in the countryside was actually quite pleasant (except we could never find a picnic spot - rats!) Very polite drivers. Couple times we got lost and people would walk over to help out. Lovely time.

Hi Sharon,
I was in Ireland in July / August of this year. There were 6 of us and we were supposed to get a Ford Galaxy to rent but when we arrived they only had a Renault, it was HUGE! I had never driven on the opposite side of the road but had no problems. We went from Dublin to Waterford, Kenmare, Kinsale, Dingle and The Aran Islands. In the smaller towns the roads do get smaller, on some we had to stop and pull in the side view mirrrors to pass through. That said, everyone was nice, people backed up to let us pass and then gave us a friendly wave. It was quite the adventure and definitely not anything to be nervous about. Enjoy the trip!

We hired a driver.....I didn't want the stress...
I wanted to view the scenery and not have my head in a map all the time.........there are tractors, stones, sheep and NARROW roads........

but if you view it as an adventure....it could be fun.......

I did drive to the pubs and resturants in the evening ....and had no trouble...but that was the time I focused on the road and the traffic signs not the view.

Just tell us how this trip turns out!!

I've driven in Ireland on two different trips, each for more than a week. Had a manual shift. I loved it, would never think of visiting Ireland without renting a car.

That said, driving on the "other" side is a different experience. Add to that narrow roads, poor visibility around many corners, herds of sheep, etc. You need to take your time and be alert.

If your husband is comfortable driving in England, Ireland won't be that much of an adjustment for him. Go for it.

Driving in Ireland is a lot more enjoyable when you are sitting at home talking about it than when you are there actually doing it. The driver HAS to concentrate on the driving and not be trying to sight see at the same time.

I have always been by myself so that probably is more stressful than having someone to navigate and talk to while you are driving.

As others have said just take your time and if you see traffic is piling up behind you pull over and let them pass. Chances are you will be driving slower than the locals. Since your husband has experience driving in the UK he should not have a problem.

You catch on pretty quickly. I enjoyed it and would always rent a car. When we returned to US, I almost drove on the wrong side!

Driving is fine, Just take your time. You will need a navigator to help you find street signs and to read the map. Do not be in a hurry. Most cars are straight stick. If you need an automatic, be sure to reserve one before you go. It will cost you almost double though.