Hi gunner1983,i also worked for alstons(colchester) in the 80s and 90s,we used to do southen ireland and northern ireland multi drop furniture,had some great times out there,plenty of places to park overnight,have agood trip.
Thanks everyone for the replys
Some good advice there, but could park up at blackstaff way in Belfast just off the M1. It’s fine there and only a short walk to asda and mcdonalds.
wired4smoke:
Some good advice there, but could park up at blackstaff way in Belfast just off the M1. It’s fine there and only a short walk to asda and mcdonalds.
Not a good place to be parked with anything valuable.
wired4smoke:
Some good advice there, but could park up at blackstaff way in Belfast just off the M1. It’s fine there and only a short walk to asda and mcdonalds.
Not in a million years,
its the darkest hole in NI 
Drive another mile down Boucher Rd and park up around Tesco DC as always trucks about 24/7 to see anything untoward!!!
best place in Belfast, I think would be at the petrol station near Stena line
kris206:
best place in Belfast, I think would be at the petrol station near Stena line
Westbank Rd is a bit of a dander to the nearest pub
Boucher Rd,
walk 10mins up Tates Avenue or over railway bridge@ Windsor Park Football ground and your on Lisburn Rd and “short skirt” city 
kris206:
best place in Belfast, I think would be at the petrol station near Stena line
Only if you’re getting there before 6 in the evening you’ll be pushed to get a space after that especially as you can no longer park in the container park across the road
Went to Belfast in our small van for a delivery, got caught up in the Orange Day parade. Stayed in in the Premier Inn in the city centre and parked in the road outside. Went out for a few beers and walk around, saw some massive, I mean big, bonfires. Tons of pallets. I hung around to see these bonfires being lit, people gathering with carrier bags of booze.Come midnight, they lit the fire, singing and shouting, it was exciting! Then I heard about five rounds from a rifle - cacked myself! By the morning, van was blocked in as the police had shut off a lot of roads for the parade. Ended up watching the parade for a few hours 
It was fabulous, I have never seen such an event. The drummers were hitting the big bass drums with such force that they were almost knocking themselves over. You had to see it to believe it.
Belfast also has most attractive women in the UK. Fact 
Dave55:
Went to Belfast in our small van for a delivery, got caught up in the Orange Day parade. Stayed in in the Premier Inn in the city centre and parked in the road outside. Went out for a few beers and walk around, saw some massive, I mean big, bonfires. Tons of pallets. I hung around to see these bonfires being lit, people gathering with carrier bags of booze.Come midnight, they lit the fire, singing and shouting, it was exciting! Then I heard about five rounds from a rifle - cacked myself! By the morning, van was blocked in as the police had shut off a lot of roads for the parade. Ended up watching the parade for a few hours
Belfast also has most attractive women in the UK. Fact
Ur after watching Ross kemp
I have parked in blackstaff way for the last 13 years on and off and never had a problem, and I wasn’t the only one parked there. Nice and quiet as Boucher rd is just a bit to busy and to wake up to a hundred cars round you. And people flying past from 6:30am, round the old fruit market side is better but not much parking really.
wired4smoke:
I have parked in blackstaff way for the last 13 years on and off and never had a problem, and I wasn’t the only one parked there. Nice and quiet as Boucher rd is just a bit to busy and to wake up to a hundred cars round you. And people flying past from 6:30am, round the old fruit market side is better but not much parking really.
I would agree with big truck on this. you were just lucky or else running empty. most would park at mallusk, boucher rd, or the docks around the portside inn.
You would hardly park a curtain sider with a full load of drink there, have you boys never heard of locks?
And when was the last time you heard anything being Broken into at blackstaff way?
Just because you don’t like the area doesn’t mean your going to get raped in your sleep.
I haven’t been lucky I have been careful, but then I like to find my own parking and parking next to people in the smallest petrol station carpark at the docks with fridges running is not my idea of fun.
wired4smoke:
You would hardly park a curtain sider with a full load of drink there, have you boys never heard of locks?And when was the last time you heard anything being Broken into at blackstaff way?
Just because you don’t like the area doesn’t mean your going to get raped in your sleep.
I haven’t been lucky I have been careful, but then I like to find my own parking and parking next to people in the smallest petrol station carpark at the docks with fridges running is not my idea of fun.
May I ask if you park loaded or empty? If loaded I’ll bet it’s not worth anything? Are you on English plates?
About 15 years ago worked with some Belfast lads in SE London,all their plant,360’s,loading shovels,crushers etc & 8 wheelers with massive scow end rock bodies came over with them!what a great bunch of fellas had some real good times with them.
gunner1983:
Thanks for all the replys. I will be over there for a week so any ideas on safe parking overnight? I’ve been told to stay at larne docks as it’s safer. Also might be going down to cork when I’m there I’m assuming it’s pretty rubbish for truck stops on route? Any more tips welcome
If your lucky by the time you get to Cork hopfully it,ll have been washed away. If your driving down from Belfast theres 2 stops Applgreen service stations along the M1 with good parking, fuel bays and food inside. One not far after the border at Castleblayney next one then is down near Dublin past Balbriggan. After that to be honest theres no motorway services all the way to Cork. You need to pull of the motorway if you want a coffee or a ■■■■. Theres tolls aswell along the way. When you come off the M50 at Dublin expect dealys at Newlands Cross their digging the road up for a new bridge. Motorways in Ireland a new phenomenon and the powers that be that by just sticking down a load of tarmac everyones happy.
Neris:
If your lucky by the time you get to Cork hopfully it,ll have been washed away.
Heading south…
M1 North services (Northbound & Southbound) are between J16 and J15 - Castlebellingham
M1 toll section is between J10 and J7 - Toll plaza between J8 and J7 - €6 max
M1 South services (Northbound & Southbound) are between J5 and J4 - Lusk
M50 toll section is between J6 and J7 - no toll plaza, but electronic tag barrier-free / camera - €6.30 max pay by 8pm following day (if you can be bothered when on foreign plates )
M7/M8 toll section is between J18 M7 - J3 M8 - Toll plaza between J19 and J20 - €5.90 max
M8 toll section is between J14 - J17 - Toll plaza between J16 and J17 - €6.00 max
Not worth avoiding the M1 toll IMO. M7/M8 toll can be avoided leaving M7 at J17 and going on the old road through Abbeyleix, Durrow, Johnstown (N77, R639) and joining M8 at J4. M8 toll can be avoided by leaving M8 at J14 and going through Fermoy, Rathcormack, Watergrasshill (R639) and rejoining M8 at J17.
Alt. services:
M7 J10 exit and head for Newbridge R445. Toughers filling station 4km from the junction. Leaving there, continue through Newbridge and rejoin M7 at J12. (Not 24hrs)
M7 J14, there is a services beside the motorway at the top of the exit ramp to the left. Gets quite choc-a-bloc in the evenings though. (24hrs)
M8 J14, Fermoy, there’s a Amber petrol station 2km from the junction. (24hrs)
Full MSAs will generally close by 11pm and go onto hole in the wall service & use the outside bogs. BK will be shut by 10pm.
Hope this helps someone.
Some good advice above, better than the 2 stop between Belfast and Cork 
I was loaded and empty at times and have parked there on English plates NI plate and ROI plates.
Don’t believe the hype
I forgot about another couple of handy stops that are on the way down.
Topaz off J7 off the N7 slip (southbound). That’s 24hrs for a cuppa and munchies.
Also McD’s & Topaz at Cashel, J8 of the M8.
There’s one or two laybys at the side on the M8 itself too.
There are only 3 MSAs on the motorway network in Ireland. The two Apple Green mentioned and a third one on the tolled section of the M4 at Enfield. The National Roads Authority were so clever at the start and didn’t bother with any MSAs, then realising the error of their ways, planned 12. But by then the pot was empty, so only 3 got built. 
However, as you can see now, there’s a few places to stop and break up the boredom of run (which it is sticking to the motorway and doing Dublin to Cork in one hit)
Run it on the limiter and it’s about 2h from Belfast to Dublin Airport on the card and from there to Cork another 3h 15m say.
wired4smoke:
Some good advice above, better than the 2 stop between Belfast and CorkI was loaded and empty at times and have parked there on English plates NI plate and ROI plates.
Don’t believe the hype
I don’t have to believe any hype I’ve lived her for forty years!