Basically, it looks like I’ll be driving in both Northern & Southern Ireland at the end of November for a week.
If any sensible people on here have any tips, advice etc for a first trip to Ireland it’d be much appreciated!
Get a good map. Never been myself, but I believe down south there are no post codes once you’re outside Dublin.
the north is fine from my own experiences, don’t know about the south.
The South is ok good roads and new motorways link the major cities. If your on a main road what looks like a hard shoulder is actually for you to pull in and let people overtake you but. Yes they are very polite over there, speed limits are in Kms should be ok in truck.Most motorways are two laned. Keep to main roads and you should be ok but beware of low bridges, again if your on mains you should be ok. Other than that pretty much the same as the UK. Enjoy the scenery. Every where is very well signposted and the roads are good. Where abouts you heading in the South.
Doing gigs in Belfast, Derry, Cork & Wexford with a day off in the middle and travel days before and after it all.
Hopefully you’ll get some sunny weather. There’s some nice driving in that lot.
Im jealous
There is no such place as Southern Ireland.
Its Ireland or Eire.
Suedehead:
There is no such place as Southern Ireland.
Its Ireland or Eire.
Or, ‘the South’.
Or if you’re of a certain age, the Free State!!
is this where the inevitable proddy/catholic part kicks off now? 
if your in eire,then turn your clock back 40 years as soon as your off the ferry…virtually no speed cameras,treble yellow lines means you abandon it with 1 side up on the pavement.the guards will be ok so long as your not overly english.its a catholic country,so keep your union flag teddybears out of the windscreen .same for the north though its just like uk in the 70s,almost no speed cameras.just dont refer to anyone in the north as irish or dery as derry till you know who your talking to…youl have a great time,and will hate returning to the mainland with al the cameras and vosa etc.park anywhere.you will only be troubled by the diesel fairies if you park somewhere daft as there invariably diddycoys and fairly local to the halting tips they live in.your satnav might be a bit vague especially in eire.they dont need postcodes because the postman knows where everybody lives in his own area.abandon your truck on treble yellows in the middle of the town.nobody will care while you ask the butcher etc for directions…expect a long wait till he passes the time of day with you,or goes off to ask someone else whilst leaving the shop open and unnatended…they might be a good 10 mins,then they will come back and tell you…we dont know…then they wil spend the next 10 mins directing you to someone who probably does know…nobody wil care about the gridlock you have caused.outside of the dublin cork tips,then they tend to be so laid back,their collars rub off of their heels…slow pace of life,and extremely infuriating till you blend in a bit.the entire country north and south is the dogs doodahs except for the obvious bigoted areas in the north that you will instantly recognise.the paddys will drive as if there practising for the A 75 must make the boat cannonball run,except there not heading for the boat…and theres very few low bridges.( well theres a couple)…search for … tang truckers on here and google and see what your in for…or use the satnav specifically invented just for the north youtube.com/watch?v=I5rjZ709gsc
ps…the windscreen of the 143 hit the bridge vertically after the hiab hit the front of it…
if you see the bales of hay pic, you will know youve driven out of the city.if someone asks you if you can do a u turn,then they might not be enquiring about your ability to return the way you came,especialy if there sheep around.the best answer wil be,i dont know if i can make it turn,but il be make its ■■■■■ eyes water in a min…you can always ask a preist for info,or just watch a couple of seasons of father ted or killinaskully to acclimatise yourself before coming over.show extra caution to learner drivers youtube.com/watch?v=__FpOhlzV7I the list is endless,but your sure to go back with a few good stories to brighten up any rdc waiting room.
oh and even as an English man living in derry or Londonderry (depending on who your talking to and always best to say both versions or I did and didn’t get beat up), I was always asked by a new person the same 3 questions,
1, whats your name
2, where you from
3, why you here.
if all of them check out ok your fine, one of the friendliest places I have ever been if nothing but a little bit as DD says like living in 1971.
don’t know if its still the same but every little village I drove through had some form of flag flying so you can pretty much work out where loyalties lie.
look out for landmines and bearded politicians
I had nights out on both sides of Townsend road Belfast ,the housing estate end and the ind est side too nice helpfull locals directed me to the job after the first time ,was a bit dicey getting out for a pee in the night though lots of broken bottles on the floor and bricks there must of been a fall out of some sort .
Plenty of camera vans in Southern Ireland, all colours from red to white, otherwise the roads are fairly quiet. Some of the roads can be narrow, but quite good otherwise.
The sat nav will work to some degree will bring you to a street , there is post codes now in ireland but they have only been introduced in the last few months and noone really uses them and i doubted if any sat navs are updated yet.
If you on english number plates in southern ireland you wont have to worry about them as even though the van may flash u wont get a ticket in the post,
Usually all the locals will warn u in advance where these camera vans are by flashing the lights at u
You going to have a good tour of the country with the places you are going to ,
In nothern ireland remove any uk flags etc that may have up in your cab as already said
as already mentioned here in northern ireland you will know what part you are in going by the flags and bunting displayed
Am irish myself lived there for 30 yrs so any thing you not sure about or need to know just ask.
Any idea what way you are shipping yet ?
war1974:
oh and even as an English man living in derry or Londonderry (depending on who your talking to and always best to say both versions or I did and didn’t get beat up), I was always asked by a new person the same 3 questions,1, whats your name
2, where you from
3, why you here.if all of them check out ok your fine, one of the friendliest places I have ever been if nothing but a little bit as DD says like living in 1971.
don’t know if its still the same but every little village I drove through had some form of flag flying so you can pretty much work out where loyalties lie.
Londonderry/derry…easier just referring to it as stroke city.saves any greif and debates.
nedflanders:
The sat nav will work to some degree will bring you to a street , there is post codes now in ireland but they have only been introduced in the last few months and noone really uses them and i doubted if any sat navs are updated yet.
If you on english number plates in southern ireland you wont have to worry about them as even though the van may flash u wont get a ticket in the post,
Usually all the locals will warn u in advance where these camera vans are by flashing the lights at u
You going to have a good tour of the country with the places you are going to ,
In nothern ireland remove any uk flags etc that may have up in your cab as already said
as already mentioned here in northern ireland you will know what part you are in going by the flags and bunting displayed
Am irish myself lived there for 30 yrs so any thing you not sure about or need to know just ask.
Any idea what way you are shipping yet ?
Fairly certain it’ll be Liverpool to Belfast. Not 100% on any of it yet though.
No problem on flags. Although my truck is assigned to me for a tour I don’t decorate it. I’ll make it my own but nothing over the top!
Hopefully it’ll be good fun. According to my family tree I’m 1/8th Irish so I guess it should feel like home somehow!
What are diesel prices like over there, and are there plenty of truck friendly BP garages?
€1.19 a litre was the price at the pump in Monaghan on Monday when I filled the truck, dunno what it would be on a fuel card though
Between 1.15 to 1.20 euros ,
Bp can be hard enough find
some new motorway services opened with a company called applegreen fuels.
Majority of fuel station in towns are not hgv friendly due to low canopys and cars abandoned
so when u see a bp make sure u fill up 
does your fuel card work in any other then bp