Irish Rural Road Speed Changes

The speed limit for local roads in Ireland were changed from 80 km/h to 60 km/h in 2025. This impacted an estimated 73,000 km of roads. Gov.ie

For many of these roads 80 km/h was certainly a limit, rather than an actual expected driving speed. Especially those that were single lane with poor visibility.

Example 80km rural local road

These roads are now designated with a Rural Speed Limit sign.

Rural Speed Limit sign

Rural local roads were impacted, which is the largest class of roads in Ireland, with an estimated 60% of all roads in Ireland changing their speed limit.

Interactive map of Local Rural Roads in Ireland:

Cork, Mayo and Galway having the most kilometers of impacted local roads, with 0ver 9000 km of roads in Cork alone impacted.

But from a % of roads perspective Roscommon, Longford, Sligo, Mayo, Monaghan and Cavan all see around 70% of their roads impacted.

County Local Roads Non Urban, km Total Roads, km Estimated % Impacted
Carlow 972 1,622 60%
Cavan 2,401 3,392 71%
Clare 3,214 5,384 60%
Cork 9,902 15,257 65%
Donegal 5,043 8,506 59%
Dublin 550 4,990 11%
Galway 5,418 8,219 66%
Kerry 3,709 5,648 66%
Kildare 1,585 3,989 40%
Kilkenny 2,449 4,049 60%
Laois 1,697 3,045 56%
Leitrim 1,719 2,522 68%
Limerick 2,883 5,156 56%
Longford 1,311 1,739 75%
Louth 945 2,349 40%
Mayo 5,449 7,345 74%
Meath 2,453 4,692 52%
Monaghan 2,065 2,890 71%
Offaly 1,577 2,767 57%
Roscommon 3,303 4,305 77%
Sligo 2,297 3,079 75%
Tipperary 4,406 7,275 61%
Waterford 2,031 3,352 61%
Westmeath 1,738 2,975 58%
Wexford 2,747 4,780 57%
Wicklow 1,485 3,255 46%
Total 73,349 122,581 60%

Storm Éowyn Impact

Storm Éowyn was an extremely powerful and record-breaking extratropical cyclone that struck Ireland, the Isle of Man, and parts of the United Kingdom on 24 January 2025.

Storm Éowyn Gust Speeds

Éowyn was the most powerful and severe storm to hit Ireland since Hurricane Debbie in 1961. The wind speeds recorded during the storm broke an 80-year-old record for the country (1).

1. https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/mace-head-in-carna-has-broken-the-all-time-gust-of-wind-record-186458

Maximum Gust Speed

Based on analysis of Copernicus Climate Change Service wind gust data ranging back to 1960, around 30% of Ireland experienced the highest gust speeds on record, including most of Meath, Longford, Louth, Westmeath, Galway, Roscommon, and Cavan.

Strongest Storm by Region

Storm Éowyn had a significant impact, particularly in Connemara and the Midlands of Ireland. Where the storm left widespread devastation, with over 130 power outages still being recorded two weeks later by ESB Networks, despite thousands of outages being fixed in that time.

The outages peaked at over 2000 outages impacting 768000 customers.

In total over 8500 outages were recorded.

Storm Éowyn Power Outages All

With many lasting for over a week, with some customers without power for over two weeks.

Storm Éowyn Power Outages Duration