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Drone footage of the newly opened, final section of the N22 Macroom Bypass Brian Lougheed

Final section of N22 Macroom Bypass in Co Cork officially opens

The first section of the development, the Macroom Bypass, opened to traffic in December 2022, while the second section opened in August 2023.

LAST UPDATE | 6 Nov 2023

THE FINAL SECTION of the N22 Macroom Road Development in Cork has officially opened. 

The first section of the development, the Macroom Bypass, opened to traffic in December 2022. The second section opened in August 2023.

Contractor Jons John Craddock JV commenced work on site back in January 2020 and completed the bypass ahead of schedule.

Currently, the new N22 road is open to traffic from Coolcour Roundabout to the east, as far as Toonlane Junction at Baile Mhic Íre.

The final section is from Toonlane Junction to the Baile Bhuirne Junction at the western end of the new road.

Road users will now be able to travel westwards on the new N22 along its full length from Coolcour Roundabout to the Baile Bhuirne Junction and onwards on the existing N22 towards Kerry.

Travelling from Kerry, road users will now merge onto the new dual carriageway to the west of Baile Bhuirne.

They will be able to travel on the new N22 road to Coolcour roundabout, east of Macroom.

Road users are being asked to drive with caution on the new section of the N22 road, particularly on the approach to the new junctions at Toonlane (Baile Mhic Íre) and at Baile Bhuirne, until they become familiar with the new junction layouts.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD said the bypass will be of great benefit to the residents of Cork and Kerry and the many visitors to the region.

He added that the road will “reduce journey times, remove congestion from the towns and villages along the route and lower the fuel costs associated with idling in traffic congestion”.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the area will now “begin to experience reduced congestion and improved air quality, as has already been seen in Macroom”.

“This will improve the quality of life for local residents and will also increase the attractiveness of active travel,” said Ryan.

The Mayor of the County of Cork, councillor Frank O’Flynn, noted that when the first section of the project opened in December 2022, air pollution in Macroom town reduced by more than 50%.

“We hope to see a similar benefit for Baile Mhic Íre and Baile Bhuirne,” said Flynn. 

-With additional reporting from Diarmuid Pepper

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:05 AM

    Well done to Jons Civil Engineering/John Craddock JV on finishing ahead of schedule. Give them another few jobs!!

    414
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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:50 AM

    @Thesaltyurchin:
    To be fair the vast majority of the motorways built in Ireland over the 20 odd years came in on time and to agreed budget, including BAM built ones.
    But then they likely had watertight contracts with clear conditions often with completion penalties etc.
    Unlikely a wide open to be abused contract in a certain large building in D8

    187
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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:31 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: “abused contract”.

    That’s a fairly serious accusation to be flinging around.

    In my experience all the contractor on the NCH is doing is showing up the gaping gaps and flaws in the initial tender package and documents.

    That lies squarely at the feet of the government and their consultants.

    Had the contractor built the hospital to the origional specifications it’s likely half of it would be missing.

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    Mute Peter
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:36 PM

    @P.J. Nolan:

    Yes the bonus is bigger than

    6
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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 6th 2023, 9:16 PM

    @Stanley Marsh:
    I made no such accusation I said it was open to abuse.
    You decided to run with it

    11
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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Nov 7th 2023, 10:05 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: Open to be abused by whom? Sounds like an accusation to me.

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    Mute Luka Roche
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:21 AM

    Safe Journey to everyone who travels on this new road everyday and remember everyone.

    Slow down, it’s NOT a Racing Circuit we are travelling.

    205
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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:25 AM

    @Luka Roche: Not too slow also, but if you are, pull in so the drivers can safely overtake

    170
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    Mute
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:33 AM

    @Shane O Mac: speed limit is not a target, safe driving to all even drivers who expect every driver slower than them to pull in..

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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Nov 6th 2023, 6:05 PM

    70 in a 100. And a row of cars behind. I guess you are one of them holding up everyone

    29
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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 6th 2023, 9:19 PM

    @Shane O Mac:
    True, but then anyone who pulls out and subsequently crashes would almost certainly in the wrong.

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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Nov 6th 2023, 9:59 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: just pull on or speed up.

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    Mute Gary Heslin
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:36 AM

    Any chance the lads in Kildare St would let this company build a motorway between Cork/Limerick ..

    196
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    Mute Joe Country
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    Nov 6th 2023, 11:32 AM

    @Gary Heslin: The current main road actually has a dedicated cow crossing point for a local farmer near the village of Banogue. The main artery connecting the second and third cities of the country and it has traffic backed up a rush hour to allow cows to cross from one field to another. I’d say foreigners and tourists think we’re a joke country.

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    Mute Liam23
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    Nov 6th 2023, 12:59 PM

    @Joe Country: most tourists don’t leave the Pale anyway

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    Mute Thomas Meaney
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:38 PM

    @Gary Heslin: Limerick and Waterford please

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:55 PM

    @Joe Country: The farmer and his family were probably here a long time before the foreigners!

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    Mute Joe Country
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:46 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: I’m sure they were Sean and he is fully entitled to move his livestock but the point I’m making is that this road is not suitable to act as the primary access road between two major cities. The fact that it has been allowed to do so for so long is a national embarrassment.

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    Mute N D K
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:47 AM

    Scissors job for mehole or Lieo today I’d say

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    Mute Declan Gibney
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    Nov 6th 2023, 9:02 AM

    @N D K: so what if it is? Cant we celebrate success in this country without being negative?

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:00 PM

    @N D K: Mehole and Lieo! It took me few minutes to understand but your wit and humour must be acknowledged!

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    Mute Peter McCormack
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:08 PM

    Now can the Cork to Limerick get approved and started soon before more people are killed.

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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:24 AM

    Better late than never i guess.

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    Mute uUleRhCu
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:16 AM

    @Shane O Mac: it’s ahead of schedule.find something else to moan about.

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    Mute Liam23
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    Nov 6th 2023, 1:00 PM

    @Shane O Mac: it wasn’t late, it was ahead of schedule

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    Mute Thomas Meaney
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:40 PM

    @Liam23: it was 20 years or even more too late. Just like Limk and Waterford and Limk to Cork

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    Mute PRdLQWQF
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    Nov 6th 2023, 5:14 PM

    About time! Now start the North Ring Road so we can have a motorway to Limerick that doesn’t run through residential areas and traffic black spots.

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    Mute Chris
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    Nov 6th 2023, 9:08 AM

    I’d say a lot of jobs will be lost in them small villages bypassed hard times ahead

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    Mute Kilkenny Proud
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:13 AM

    @Chris: If your business model depends on traffic congestion to survive it is a bad business model.

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    Mute John Brennan
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:15 AM

    @Chris: Rubbish, every region deserves at least one top class road.. On the contrary the local economy will be boosted and dual carriageways are many times safer than single lane carriageways.

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    Mute Daniel Buckley
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    Nov 6th 2023, 7:00 PM

    On the Dublin to Dromod comment which advises that there is more traffic on the Sligo road to Dublin road than on the Cork – Dublin motorway. Given that the census shows that County Cork has a similiar population of all Connacht this seems inaccurate. Traffic volume information would suggest otherwise.

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    Mute Bernadette Mulvihill
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    Nov 6th 2023, 5:35 PM

    It’s a pity who ever was over getting that Motor way sorted can’t put in a word to get the M4 N4 extended from Dublin to Dromod to give some peace and extra safety travelling these roads. I recently went to Cork and there is more traffic heading from Sligo to Dublin than I encountered on the Cork Motorway. Same on the Tuam to Limerick.

    11
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    Mute Pato
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:15 PM

    I thought Eamo only funded public transport
    Oh wait that was an accusation by bogger TDs, probably funded by Eamo”s mortal enemies – agribusiness himself.

    12
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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:28 PM

    @Pato:
    Don’t you just love when someone makes themselves look foolish by not reading the article.
    Site work on this multi phase project started about 6 months before Eamon Ryan became a Minister.

    32
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:03 PM

    @Pato: also 200 million on Dunkettle interchange and 250 million on N5 in Mayo, but yes Dublin gets everything and we don’t invest in roads.

    12
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    Mute T Paul Kelly
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    Nov 6th 2023, 10:37 AM

    No footpath?
    No wonder so many pedestrians are being killed.

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    Mute michael odwyer
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    Nov 6th 2023, 11:36 AM

    @T Paul Kelly: ha Good joke

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    Mute
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    Nov 6th 2023, 3:28 PM

    Nice loopy loops and hoppy hoops

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    Mute Chris Thaunton
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:14 PM

    Councillor Danny Byrne is a great man!!! Vote for Danny, he speaks sense and that’s so rare. Well done Danny.

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    Mute Paddy Short
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    Nov 6th 2023, 4:34 PM

    Is there a toll on it?

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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Nov 6th 2023, 6:06 PM

    @Paddy Short: €2.50 one way or €5.00 return

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    Mute Peter McCormack
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    Nov 7th 2023, 5:06 PM

    @Paddy Short: no toll

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    Mute
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    Nov 6th 2023, 8:09 PM

    On the road today awful bad surface they should have taken their time and doing a good job instead of rushing and making a balls of it

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