If you are visiting, or planning to visit Ireland, and will be hiring a car, then you should familiarise yourself with Irish road signs and understand their meanings. In this guide, you will learn about the different types of road signs Ireland uses, what category they come under, and their meaning, as well as some of the most common types you will encounter as you explore the country.
As a visitor to Ireland who chooses a hire car as their mode of transport, it is your responsibility to know the most common Irish road signs and their meanings to ensure you obey the rules of the road.
There are different categories of road signs in use in Ireland and with this article, you will learn what they are and be better equipped to recognise them as you explore the beautiful Emerald Isle.
Irish road signs and meanings
It is the responsibility of any driver in Ireland to know and understand what traffic road signs mean before getting out onto public roads, locals and visitors alike.
There are three broad categories of road signs in Ireland in use:
· Regulatory
· Warning
· Informational
In some cases, signs from different categories can be used together to improve road safety and provide drivers will additional information.
There are also different road signs for different types of roads, for public transport lanes, and there are specific warning signs for roadworks. Let us look at the different categories in more detail.
Regulatory signs Ireland uses
Regulatory road signs are also considered mandatory road signs that all drivers must obey.
Regulatory Irish signs typically come in 2 formats.
1. A white background with a red border (circular, triangle and other shapes) with black symbols, letters or numbers within.
2. A blue background with white symbols, numbers or lettering.
Many of the blue road signs can be found on motorways, although they are not limited to this type of road, and for this reason, some people will say there are 4 categories of road signs in Ireland by separating motorway signs out into their own category. However, they are regulatory road signs so don’t necessarily need a category of their own. We will, however, discuss them as a separate section for clarity.
Regulatory Irish road traffic signs are the most important category of road signs that new drivers and visitors to the country should know about and is the category under which you will find Irish speed limit signs.
They require drivers to obey a specific order and are also referred to as traffic control signage.
Common regulatory Irish road sign
The most common regulatory signs on the roads in Ireland include stop signs, yield signs, no-entry signs, no U-turn signs, no parking signs, and clearway signs. The ‘no overtaking’ road sign also falls under this category.
Irish road speed limits are in this category and are easily recognised by the red circular sign, with a red border, white background, and speed limit indicated within the white background in black. These must be adhered to and changed between road types and classification.
Typical speed limits you will come across in Ireland are 30, 50, 60, 80, 100 and 120km/h. 120km/h is the maximum speed limit in Ireland and only for motorways.
The only exception is where the road sign indicates the national speed limit for the road is applied. This road sign is a circular sign with a white background and black markings, either a solid black line or a series of thin black lines (see picture).
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Speed limits in Ireland for different roads are as follows:
· 30km/h around schools
· 50km/h urban areas
· 80km/h regional roads
· 100km/h national roads
· 120km/h motorways
Prohibitory roads signs in Ireland fall under this category. Examples of prohibitory road signs are no right/left turn and no entry signs. They are used to inform drivers of certain restrictions on manoeuvres.
Less common regulatory Irish road signs
Less common regulatory road signs in Ireland include regulatory limits for drivers of vehicles that might exceed a certain weight, height, or in the case of HGV’s (heavy good vehicles), number of axles allowed on certain roads. These may be accompanied with a rectangular sign that is a white background with black writing indicating time limits. These are a type of prohibitory road sign in Ireland.
Traffic control signs
Another example of less common regulatory signs are traffic control signs. These can be found on national roads or motorways and are used to control lanes in or out of operation. Lanes in operation are indicated by a green arrow pointing down, while lanes out of operation are indicated by a red X. A green arrow pointing right or left indicates you should move over to the left/right lane.
You will also see these when there are roadworks in progress.
Blue regulatory road signs in Ireland
These signs are designed to clarify who has priority or ‘right of way’ at junctions or on roads ahead. They are also referred to as priority road signs.
You will also see these signs on roundabouts to remind you which direction around it you should proceed and as mandatory signs at junctions.
These types of regulatory signs include the ‘straight ahead’ sign which is a white arrow pointing up on a blue background, indicating you should proceed straight ahead.
A left-pointing white arrow on a blue background indicates you should turn left, and a right-pointing white arrow indicated you should turn righ. There are some other variations of these which are directional indicators.
If you are coming from a country that drives on the right-hand side of the road, these will be opposite to what you are familiar with, especially at roundabouts and merging roads.
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Manual traffic control signs at roadworks
On occasion, roadworks on roads will have manual traffic control signs, either operated by mechanical or manual means.
You must obey the instructions given and it is an offence not to obey these signs.
There are typically two, one sign that indicates it is safe to go and one indicating that you must stop.
- The GO sign is a circular sign with a green background, a white border and the word GO in white (or in some cases Téigh).
- The STOP sign is also circular with a red background, a white border and the word STOP in white.
You can only proceed through the roadworks when the green GO sign is displayed and must stop when the red STOP sign is showing.
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warning road signs Ireland has in operation
The second category of road signs in Ireland you need to be aware of are warning road signs.
These warn of approaching dangers and have subcategories such as
- General-purpose warnings road signs
- Hazards ahead
- Junctions ahead
- Warning signs for road works
- Advanced warnings of major road works
- Tram signs
- Warnings for special areas such as around schools or for the elderly
You should always proceed with care when you see a warning sign.
Warning road signs in Ireland have the following format:
- Diamond or rectangular in shape.
- Have a yellow background with black border.
- The warning symbol contained within the yellow background is black and depicts the hazard ahead.
You will find these mounted on a pole at the side of the road, or on a wall at the side of the road.
NOTE: warning signs in Northern Ireland are different to that of the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, warning signs use the same black symbols the the Republic of Ireland, but they are contained within an upright triangle with a red border and white background.
Picture Source: Pamela Norrington / Road sign near the junction of the Toomore road and N58, via Wikimedia Commons
Common warning Irish road signs
Common warning signs that drivers in Ireland will come across include signs indicating a roundabout ahead, series of sharp bends, dangerous bend ahead, school ahead, and to indicate a junction in the road such as a crossroads or an approaching T-junction.
Within cities and in urban areas, you will see the warning sign for schools, depicted by a diagram of children within the diamond sign, and also for pedestrian crossings ahead. Other common signs are for traffic lights, bumps in the road and cyclists.
Away from the cities, a common set of warning signs drivers will see will be one’s warning of animals crossing the road including sheep, cattle or deer, or a warning to expect tractors on the road.
Less common warning Irish road signs
Less common warning signs are used to warn of tram lines, merging roads ahead, steep ascents or descents in the road, double curved bends, dangers of falling rocks at the road side, and warnings of quaysides or riverbanks.
Picture Source: Photo by Jesse Gardner on Unsplash
Roadworks signs
These are another type of warning road sign that should be approached with caution and with reduced speed.
Roadworks signs have the following format:
- Rectangular or diamond in shape.
- Orange background with a black border.
- The warning symbol contained within is black and can be either a symbol or a series of words.
Common roadworks signs indicate detours or end of detours, a flagman ahead, temporary traffic lights in operation and the roadworks ahead sign.
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Informational road signs in Ireland
Information road signs in Ireland provide guidance and information to road users. They give driving directions in Ireland, are direction signs at junctions and include a number of formats as follows:
- Green signs with white letters indicate national road directions.
- Blue signs with white letters indicate motorway information signs.
- White signs with black letters indicate local or regional road directions.
- Brown signs with white letters, indicating tourist information signs.
They can take the format of arrows pointing left or right and can be rectangular containing several information items including driving direction, distance to certain points and information for exits such as off motorways, national roads and roundabouts.
These are the most frequently used road signs in Ireland and you will come across them everywhere. They provide general information to drivers and other road users.
All Irish road signs that are informational will be in both English and Irish.
Picture Source: Seighean., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sometimes you will see regulatory road signs or warning road signs in conjunction with information signs. The information sign will be in the form of a rectangular sign with a white background, a black border and the information letters in black underneath the regulatory or warning sign.
Motorway information signs
Motorway information signs will be rectangular in shape, with a blue background, a white border and the information in white.
The information can contain the following:
- Indication of a motorway ahead
- Entry to the motorway
- Advance direction warning
- Warning of merging traffic or entry onto the motorway
- Next exit warnings (countdown warning)
- Next exit information (for supplementary routes and destinations)
- Distance to destination information (and route confirmation signs with km remaining)
- Toll plaza ahead and toll charges information
- End of the motorway
- Motorway service sign
Picture Source: Seighean, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
10 Most commons road signs in Ireland visitors will encounter
Stop
Stop signs in Ireland are octagonal in shape but the background is red with a white border and the word STOP in white lettering. These are found at junctions where there is a crossroad, or a smaller road is entering a larger road.
You must completely stop at the junction before entering the next road, even if the road seems quiet. These are regulatory road signs and must be obeyed.
Picture Source: Photo by Sibeesh Venu on Unsplash
Yield
A yield sign is also one of the common road signs in Ireland and is another regulatory sign that must be adhered to. A yield is an upside-down triangle with a red border around a white background containing the word YIELD. Other variations will include the words “yield right of way” or “Géill Slí”.
Picture Source: Martin Creek / Road Sign at Junction of Rath Road, via Wikimedia Commons
These signs are found at junctions or on the approach to a roundabout. You must give way to traffic on the road you are joining or already on the roundabout and you must wait until it is safe to do so with enough time.
No entry
A no entry sign is a regulatory Irish road sign and must be obeyed. It takes two formats
- The most common no-entry sign is a circular sign with a red border, a black arrow pointing up and a red line diagonally through the arrow.
- The other format is a no entry for vehicles sign with a red background, a white border and a white line across the middle of the circle (pictured).
Picture Source: English: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport/Gaeilge: Rialtas na hÉireann – An Roinn Iompair,
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Speed Limit road signs
As already discussed, speed limit road signs in Ireland are mandatory and are circular road signs with a white background, thick red border, and the speed limit indicated with a black number with km/h underneath in black lettering.
These must be obeyed and are the maximum allowed speed limit for that road. They decrease as you approach towns, urban areas, or schools. They increase as you leave these areas.
Turn left or right
Signs that are circular, have a blue background and an arrow pointing left or right in white, with a white border, are mandatory, regulatory signs which must be obeyed and indicate that you must turn left or right. These are often found at junctions.
Roundabout ahead
A warning sign that takes the format of a diamond with a yellow background, black border and series of black arrows going in a circle is a sign indicating that you are approaching a roundabout. Take care on approach and ensure you reduce your speed.
Two-way traffic
A warning sign that is diamond in shape with a yellow background, black border and has two black arrows, one pointing up and the other pointing down is a warning sign indicating that the street or road has two-way traffic. Keep to the left and take care if it is a narrow street or road.
Series of dangerous bends
A diamond shaped sign that has a yellow background, black border and a black line with several bends/squiggles in it is a warning sign of a series of dangerous bends ahead and that drivers should take heed, reduce their speed and approach with caution.
Picture Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Transport, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Chevron board of black arrows on yellow background
This board is found on the side of the road to indicate a sharp change in the direction of the road around a bend. They can point left or right and how close together the chevrons are indicates the acuteness of the bend in the road.
Junction ahead
This is a warning sign that is diamond in shape with a yellow background, black border and an indication of the type of junction ahead in black. This includes crossroads, T-junctions, staggered junctions and left or right turns off roads.
Picture Source: Kenneth Allen / Road at Tirhoran, via Wikimedia Commons
Conclusion
With this guide to some of the most common Irish road signs, visitors to the island should be well prepared for exploring the Emerald Isle by car. If you are already in Ireland and have come across a sign you weren’t sure of, these explanations of the Irish road sign meanings will hopefully have demystified that sign for you.
Remember that, if you are hiring a car or already have, it is your responsibility as the driver of that rental car to know and understand what the road signs in Ireland mean and obey or adhere to them and approach others with extra care and caution.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ireland road signs
There are a few commonly used road signs in Ireland as discussed in this article, but one of the most common is the STOP sign.
While many road signs are the same between Ireland and the UK, there are some notable differences. The main differences between the Republic of Ireland road signs and those in the UK, even Northern Ireland road signs are as follows.
Distance is measured and indicated in kilometres in the Republic of Ireland, while they are measured and indicated in miles in Northern Ireland.
Road signs in Northern Ireland do not have an Irish translation/word including signs with words, such as place names.
Warning signs in Ireland follow the US standard of a yellow diamond, while in the UK they are an upright triangle (different from the upside-down triangle for yield signs) which has a red border, white background and black symbol.
Road signs in Ireland are in both English and Irish, with the exception of those in Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas where the road signs will be in Irish. Road signs in Northern Ireland are only in English.
Distance is measured and indicated in kilometers in the Republic of Ireland, while they are measured and indicated in miles in Northern Ireland.
Road signs in Northern Ireland do not have an Irish translation/word includes for signs with words, such as place names.
Warning signs in Ireland follow the US standard of a yellow diamond, while in the UK they are an upright triangle (different from the upside-down triangle for yield signs) which has a red border, white background and black symbol.
There are three main categories of road signs in Ireland that include regulatory, warning and informational. A fourth is sometimes added to cover Irish motorway signs.
Irish road signs are indicated in kilomteres, including for distance and speed.
