 The Watergrasshill Bypass was the second section of grade separated dual carriageway to open on the Cork-Portlaoise route.It opened on 12 September 2003, at a cost of €144 million.Built by Mowlem and Bowen in partnership, the seven kilometre route replaced a winding and narrow section of the older N8 (now the R639) through Watergrasshill and Sallybrook villages.