National secondary 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.

The N59 on the shore of Kylemore Lough in County Galway

National secondary roads have a default speed limit of 100km/h, they fall into the speed limit category of national roads.

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.^[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 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
N51	(M1) west of Drogheda – Slane (N2) – Navan (M3) – Athboy – Delvin (N52 to Mullingar)	52.994 km (32.929 mi)
N52	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)	177.694 km (110.414 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)	78.815 km (48.973 mi)
N56	(N15 just east of Donegal) – (R263 near Killybegs) – Glenties – Dungloe – Gweedore – Dunfanaghy – Letterkenny (N14)	157.304 km (97.744 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)	298.795 km (185.663 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	M6 near Athlone to M8 at Horse and Jockey) M6 – 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 north of Loughrea to N52 at Borrisokane; crossing the River Shannon at Portumna	52.517 km (32.633 mi)
N67	Galway – Kinvara – Ballyvaughan – Lisdoonvarna – Ennistymon (N85) – Kilkee – Kilrush (N68) – (ferry pier near Killimer) (ferry pier near Tarbert) – Tarbert (N69)	129.172 km (80.264 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	141.691 km (88.043 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 – Killarney (N22, N72)	187.270 km (116.364 mi)
N72	Killorglin – Killarney (N22) – Rathmore – Mallow (N20) – Fermoy (M8) – Lismore – Dungarvan (N25)	165.923 km (103.100 mi)
N73	Mitchelstown (M8) – (N72 east of Mallow)	34.296 km (21.311 mi)
N74	(M8) Cashel – Golden – Kilfeakle – Tipperary (N24)	19.915 km (12.375 mi)
N75	Thurles to the M8 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 – (M7) at Portlaoise	48.742 km (30.287 mi)
N78	(N77) – Castlecomer – (N80) – Athy – (M9) near Ballitore	50.671 km (31.485 mi)
N80	(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	114.683 km (71.261 mi)
N81	(M50) at Templeogue – Tallaght Bypass – Baltinglass – Tullow – (N80 just east of Ballon)	76.784 km (47.711 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 (M18) – Ennistymon (N67)	31.858 km (19.796 mi)
N86	Tralee – Annascaul – Lispole – Dingle	50.235 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	2,657 km (1,651 mi)

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; decommissioned in 2012.