National Primary Route 17

The route connecting Galway with Sligo and the northwest is known as the N17, memorably recorded in the title of a song by late 1980s/early 1990s Irish band The Saw Doctors. It currently starts in the dead centre of Galway city at the intersection of Tuam Road and what is currently referred to as the N6 Inner Galway Bypass. By 2013, it will have been replaced with a motorway to the east, originating in the mega interchange of the M6, M18 and M17, and terminating west of the small town of Tuam.

A very poor quality section of route follows, as the road negotiates bogs, fields and hills. South of Claremorris, an old good quality grade separated single carriageway road takes the route further past Knock, apparently the scene of an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1879. North of here, the route is very poor the whole way to Collooney. It passes Ireland West Airport Knock, also known as Knock International Airport, the new N5, the town of Charlestown, and the town of Tobercurry (pronounced Tub 'r' curry), which sounds like a dish of Indian takeaway.

The whole route from the end of the motorway at Tuam to the far end at Collooney is due to be replaced with dual carriageway by 2015, though it seems it will be later due to the slow progress that has been made so far.

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