THE Sawdoctors, Tuam's favourite sons, once immortalised the N17 in a song. "I wish I was on that N17," they warbled, extolling the virtues of its "stone walls" where "the grass is green".
Anyone travelling today on the Galway stretch of the N17 leading through Claregalway is likely to have the opportunity to become intimately acquainted with every brick of the N17's stone walls. Traffic will be slowed due to roadworks. The N84 to the west is a potential, if cumbersome, alternative.
The roundabout at Castletroy in Limerick, on the main Dublin Limerick road, offers even more possibilities for sightseeing than the N17. Roadworks at the roundabout are likely to delay traffic entering and leaving Limerick, making the area around Castletroy an unpopular one for motorists.
Cork city is comparatively free of temporary obstructions, with the exception of Modelfarm Road where there are continuing major roadworks.
There are roadworks on the N25 on the Waterford side of Lemybrien heading west. Short of going to Lemybrien via Carrick on Suir, which is like going from Dublin to London via Glasgow, alternative routes are limited.
Ballytrunkle Road and Lower Grange Road in Waterford city should probably be avoided because of pipe laying.
Those travelling from Ballyshannon to Donegal on the N15 should note that there are roadworks at Laghy, although a minor road shadows the N15 to the west and may provide a possible alternative route.
In Dublin, there is a one way system in place on Deansgrange Road for outbound traffic, with inbound traffic being directed via Kill Lane.
Traffic forced to use the city centre should avoid North Wall Quay, where road improvements will cause delays, and the continuing construction work at the Jervis Street/Upper Abbey Street Junction.
North of the city, the Flemingstown/Toberstown Road in Balbriggan is closed because of construction work.
Those heading north have reason to be grateful, however, because southbound motorists attempting to leave the city are likely to encounter more obstacles than Steve McQueen in The Great Escape.
There is a 40 m.p.h. speed restriction in operation between Newlands Cross and Rathcoole as road improvement work continues on the Naas dual carriageway.