M8 motorway (Ireland)

M8 motorway
Mótarbhealach M8

Clickable image
Route information
Part of E201
Length147 km (91 mi)
Existed1992–present
HistoryConstructed 1985–2010
Major junctions
FromM7 junction 19
Major intersections
J1 → M7 motorway

J5 → N75 road

J6 → N62 road

J9 → N74 road

J10 → N24 road

J12 → N73 road

J19 → N25 road, N40 road
ToDunkettle Interchange, Cork
Location
CountryIreland
Primary
destinations
Dublin, Cork, Fermoy, Thurles, Cashel
Highway system

The M8 motorway (Irish: Mótarbhealach M8) is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, which forms part of the motorway from the capital Dublin to Cork city. The 149 km (93 mi) motorway commences in the townland of Aghaboe, County Laois and runs through the counties of Kilkenny, Tipperary and Limerick, terminating at the Dunkettle interchange in Cork City. First called for in the Road Needs Study (1998), it was later incorporated into the National Development Plan (2000–2006) and later still formed part of the Irish Government's Transport 21 plan for infrastructural development. The majority of the M8, 115 km (71 mi), was built between 2006 and 2010. On 28 May 2010, the motorway was completed and had replaced almost all of the single-carriageway N8 except for a short section of urban road in Cork City.