N17

The N17 between the M17 at Tuam and the N4 at Collooney (11 km south of Sligo) forms part of the long-distance Atlantic Corridor route (ultimately linking Waterford and Cork to Letterkenny via Limerick and Galway) in the west of Ireland.

The N17 is part of the NRA's 'Western Corridor', making it a key priority for upgrades.

Route

The high-quality single-carriageway N17 between Claremorris and Knock

Starting from the Tuam bypass, which opened at the same time as the M17 from Rathmorrissy to Tuam on 27 September 2017, the N17 runs north to Milltown and then continues, having entered County Mayo, to an intersection with the N60 a kilometre east of Claremorris. From here the route is a high-quality single carriageway, which runs some distance away from the old road, including a bypass of Knock.

Eventually, beyond Kilkelly, the N17 rejoins its original route and meets up with the northern end of the N83, which has come from Galway via Ballyhaunis, having crossed our route at Tuam. Shortly afterwards, we pass Knock Airport and intersect the N5 at a grade-separated junction on that road's southern bypass of Charlestown. The N17, for its part, runs through Charlestown and very shortly afterwards enters County Sligo.

Aside from its passage through Tobercurry, the remainder of the road is predominantly rural in character, heading in a generally northeasterly direction. After passing a junction with the R293 to the right, we run beside the main Dublin – Sligo railway (although it is largely out of sight) for a couple of kilometres before crossing over it and running to a roundabout junction with the N4 immediately south of Collooney.

In February 2018, plans for an Atlantic Corridor were announced again, as part of Project Ireland 2040. The plan is that a series of upgrades along the line of the N15, N17, N20 and N25 to create a continuous, high-standard route between Donegal and Galway.

History

The Galway – Collooney road was originally numbered T11. Aside from bypasses, that road generally followed the line of the N17 aside from where the N83 now exists.

The N17 originally started at Eyre Square, Galway, with the N6 and N59. The N6 was later moved to form an inner ring road / bypass of Galway City, curtailing the start of the N17, which became an extension of the R336. It then ran northwest along the Tuam Road towards Glaregalway, where it met the N18 at a set of traffic lights in the middle of the town. There was a bridge over the River Clare, and a junction with the N63 to Roscommon, taking us into the open countryside. A sharp bend with the R333 led into Tuam, where the N17 avoided the town centre and ran on an urban bypass to the west.

Links

• Mótarbhealaí: M17 N17 Junction Maps
• N17 - The Saw Doctors (Official Video)