N8 road (Ireland)
Year Opened From To Current Designation and Notes
1991 Cahir ( n/a ) N24 & R639 . Single carriageway bypass of Cahir . No longer part of route
1992 Dunkettle north of Sallybrook N8 . Dual carriageway bypass of Glanmire and Sallybrook . Redesignation to M8 on 28/8/09
2003 north of Sallybrook north of Watergrasshill N8 . Dual carriageway bypass of Watergrasshill . Redesignation to M8 on 28/8/09
2004 Cashel ( n/a ) M8 . Bypass of Cashel . Originally designated N8 and opened as dual carriageway
2006 Mitchelstown ( n/a ) N73 and R639 . No longer part of route
2006 north of Watergrasshill north of Fermoy M8 . Motorway from north of Watergrasshill to north of Fermoy
2007 Cashel Cahir M8 . Motorway between Cashel and Cahir . Originally designated N8 and opened as dual carriageway
2008 north-east of Mitchelstown Cahir M8 . Motorway from near Mitchelstown to Cahir . Originally designated N8 and opened as dual carriageway
2008 Cashel Cullahill M8 . Motorway from Cashel to Cullahill
2009 north-east of Mitchelstown north of Fermoy M8 . Motorway from north of Mitchelstown to north of Fermoy
2010 Cullahill Aghaboe ( Portlaoise ) ( Connects to M7 at junction 19 ) M8 . Completion of M7/M8 between Dublin and Cork . Tolled Section
History of the Dublin to Cork road -- Summary of Major Route Improvements
The N8 road is a national primary road in Ireland, connecting Cork with Dublin via the M7. The road is motorway standard from junction 19 on the M7 to the Dunkettle interchange outside Cork City and is designated as the M8 motorway. From here the route continues into Cork city and terminates at the N22 road at St. Patrick's Street. The M8 motorway was completed in May 2010, replacing the single carriageway sections of the old N8 and bypassing towns on the main Cork to Dublin road. It is now possible to travel from Cork to Dublin on the M/N8 in about 2 hours 30 minutes. The route commences just south of Portlaoise, and reaches Cork via the midlands and the Golden Vale of Ireland, through Counties Laois, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork. The N8 is further classified by the United Nations as the entirety of the (partially signed) European route E 201 (formerly E200).