The R421 road is a regional road in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

which runs southwest-northeast from the R445 south of

Roscrea Roscrea () is a market town in County Tipperary, Ireland, which in 2016 had a population of 5,446. Roscrea is one of the oldest towns in Ireland, having developed around the 7th century monastery of Saint Crónán of Roscrea, parts of which rem ...

to the N52 north of

Tullamore Tullamore (; ) is the county town of County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal, in the middle of the county, and is the fourth most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, midlands reg ...

. The route also passes through

Clareen Clareen () is a village in the parish of Seir Kieran in County Offaly, Ireland. It is located 8 km east of Birr on the R421 regional road. The village is situated at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It is the location of a Church ...

Kinnitty Kinnitty () is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is located 13 km east of Birr on the R440 and R421 regional roads. Name and location The village derives its name from the myth that the head of an ancient princess is buried beneath ...

and

Killurin Killurin () is a village in County Wexford, Ireland on the R730 regional road. Sited along the banks of the River Slaney, it is approximately 10 kilometres north-west of Wexford town. History Castle A Norman castle was built at the Deeps ...

. The bulk of the route is in

County Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in hono ...

with small sections in counties

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

and

Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...

. The route is long.

Details

The R421 commences south of Roscrea at a roundabout junction with the R445 Roscrea bypass. The route continues through the town as the Limerick Road, Limerick Street and Main Street. Continuing in a northeast direction from Roscrea, the route forms a crossroads junction with the N62

National secondary road A national secondary road ( ga, Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national ...

at the Lourdes Road. A short distance after it crosses the Limerick-Ballybrophy railway line and passes near

Roscrea railway station Roscrea railway station serves the town of Roscrea, County Tipperary, in Ireland. Roscrea station is on the Limerick-Ballybrophy railway line of the Irish railway network connecting to the main Cork-Dublin line at Ballybrophy. It is listed a ...

and continues into

. At

Ballybritt Ballybritt () is a barony in County Offaly (formerly King's County), Republic of Ireland. Etymology Ballybritt derives its name from Ballybritt Castle (near Roscrea) and the townland of Ballybritt (Irish ''Baile an Bhriotaigh'', "settlement of ...

there is a sharp turn on the road. To stay on the R421 one must turn left at Ballybrit. The route continues through The Leap & Clareen. The road joins the

R440 road The R440 road is a regional road in Ireland linking Birr, County Offaly and Mountrath, County Laois. It passes through the village of Kinnity, Co. Offaly and from there climbs to the watershed of the Slieve Bloom Mountains north of Stillbrook ...

west of Kinnitty which continues through the village. The R421 leaves the R440 east of Kinnitty and continues northeastwards through

Cadamstown Cadamstown, historically called ''Ballymacadam'' (),Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records) is ...

and continues into

County Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...

. A few kilometers west of

Clonaslee Clonaslee () is a village in north County Laois, Ireland, situated in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road. Clonaslee is approximately 100 km west of Dublin, and is close to the towns of Portlaoi ...

in order to stay on the R421 one must turn left for Killurin. The road to

continues as the

R422 road The R422 road is a regional road in Ireland, which runs west-east from the R421 north of the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the R445 at New Inn, County Laois. The route is long. See also *Roads in Ireland *National primary road *National seconda ...

. The R421 diverts back into County Offaly through Killurin and meets the N52 Tullamore Bypass at a roundabout junction. It leaves the N52 at Charleville Castle grounds and continues in through Tullamore as the Charleville Road, Cormac Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Columcille Street & Arden Road (all formerly part of the main N52 road). The road terminates at the N52 Bypass north of Tullamore. The current route designation took form following the opening of the bypasses of Roscrea and Tullamore in the 2001 and 2009 respectively. Prior to the opening of the N7 Roscrea bypass (now the R445 bypass following the opening of the M7) the route through the town known as the Limerick Road and Limerick Street formed part of the N7 road. Prior to the opening of the N52 Tullamore bypass the R421 terminated at its junction with the N52 near

Charleville Castle Charleville Castle is a Gothic-style castle located in County Offaly, Ireland, bordering the town of Tullamore, near the River Clodiagh. It is considered one of the finest of its type in the country. History The first mansion house to be buil ...

(south of Tullamore) with the N52 assuming prominence through the town.

References

Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2006
–

Department of Transport The Department for Transport (DfT) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The d ...

{{Roads in Ireland Regional roads in the Republic of Ireland Roads in County Offaly Roads in County Laois Roads in County Tipperary