Finding Churchtown

Churchtown village is located just 4km west of the N20, half way between Cork and Limerick. There is an excellent two-hour train service from Dublin to Charleville or Mallow where you will find taxi services available to transfer you to the village. Cork International Airport is an hour by car from Churchtown and Shannon International Airport is 90 minutes.

Driving to Churchtown from Dublin

VIA MITCHELSTOWN

This is consistently the fastest way to drive to Churchtown from Dublin and the roads are quite good except for the last 30 minutes where roads are narrow and the turn offs are marginally complicated.

Take the N7 from Dublin to Portlaoise and then the N7 south towards Cork. At Mitchelstown take the N73 towards Mallow. About 6km west of Killdorrery take the R522 to the right towards Buttevant. Two km from that R522 turn off take a right hand just after the semi-derelict farm building also on the right. Drive for 3.4km to Brough Cross. Take care and drive across this 4 way junction and drive another 7.9km until you reach the N20 T junction at Ballyhea. Take right on N20 and about 0.6km on N20 on left hand side drive over railway crossing and Churchtown is 3.5km from here.

The journey time from Dublin (M50 / Red Cow Roundabout to Churchtown taking the above route is as follows:

- 50 minutes from Newlands to Portlaoise
- 30 minutes Portlaoise to Cullahill
- 45 minutes Cullahill to Mitchelstown
- 30 minutes Mitchelstown to Churchtown

or 2 hours 35 minutes.

Stop in Cullahill for a Coffee at Pascal Bergin's shop and you can do the journey in less than 3 hours!

VIA LIMERICK

This is the easiest route but takes longer than the Mitchelstown route.

Take the N7 to Limerick and skirt around the city to the N20. Drive south to Charleville. About 4km south of Charleville you will pass through Ballyhea (with GreatGas filling station on the right). About 3km further on N20 you will turn right towards Churchtown crossing over railway crossing. On this route we recommend you stop in Mountrath at GreatGas for your Coffee. The forecourt in on your left as you enter the town.

Driving from Cork to Churchtown

If you are coming from Cork you stay on the N20 and about 3 miles north of Buttevant you will see signs for Churchtown pointing left at Shininagh railway gates. In Buttevant you also have the option of taking the "coast road" by turning left on to Route 522 at the northern end of the town. Watch carefully for a (dangerous) turn off (more of a veer off really) to the right at Buffers Cross about 3 miles north west of Buttevant. The village is less than a mile from Buffers Cross.

BY AIR!

For those coming in by air (!) Churchtown is located at Latitude 52.27145 North of the Equator and Longitude 8.73125 West of Greenwich and we suggest you get permission from the local GAA to land your helicopter on their playing field beside the village! These precise measurements are courtesy of Darius Bartlett, Geography Department faculty at University College Cork who visited Churchtown on Monday 27th May 2002. He was able to receive information from 10 of the possible 22 satellites "hovering" over Churchtown!

Click here to find out the history of the name of the village.