Broken Down on the M8 near Urlingford or Durrow?
24 hour flatbed recovery on the M8 from Junction 3 (Durrow) to Junction 7 (Cashel), and fastest of all at Junction 4 (Urlingford), the only M8 junction in County Kilkenny. Ring Mark on 087 288 2280.
- Pull onto the hard shoulder as far left as you can and switch on your hazard lights.
- Get everyone out of the car through the left-hand doors and behind the crash barrier.
- Put on a hi-vis vest if you have one. Never stand between your car and the traffic.
- Do not try to change a tyre or fix anything on the hard shoulder.
- Note the nearest junction number and the blue marker posts, then call us.
- If you are in a live lane and cannot move the car, stay belted in and call 112 or 999 first.
- Northbound (towards Dublin) or southbound (towards Cork)
- The last junction number you passed
- The figures on the nearest blue location sign if you can see one
- Your car make, model and whether it is automatic, electric or 4x4
- How many people are with you and whether anyone is hurt
- Where you want the car to go
Why a Kilkenny truck for the M8
The M8 is the Dublin to Cork motorway and it clips the north west corner of County Kilkenny at Urlingford. Junction 4 is where the R693 leaves for Kilkenny city, and that road runs through Johnstown and Freshford and straight past Webster's Garage at Three Castles. For a breakdown at Urlingford, Johnstown or on the motorway either side of Junction 4, we are often the nearest flatbed on the road, ahead of trucks coming from Portlaoise, Thurles or Cashel.
We cover the M8 from Durrow in the north (Junction 3, with the N77 giving us a direct run from Ballyragget) to Cashel in the south (Junction 7). Beyond Cashel we will still come for a car that is heading back to Kilkenny, but we will tell you honestly if a Tipperary or Cork operator would be with you sooner.
M8 junctions we cover, north to south
Use the junction number when you ring. It is the quickest way to tell us where you are.
| Junction | Name | Roads | County | Serves | Our ETA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J3 | Durrow / Rathdowney | R433 | Laois | Durrow, Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, Cullahill | 20 to 30 min |
| J4 | Urlingford / Johnstown | R693 / R639 | Kilkenny | Urlingford, Johnstown, Kilkenny city (R693), Freshford | 20 to 30 min |
| J5 | Twomileborris | N75 | Tipperary | Thurles, Twomileborris | 30 to 40 min |
| J6 | Horse and Jockey | N62 | Tipperary | Thurles, Horse and Jockey, Littleton, Holycross | 35 to 45 min |
| J7 | Cashel North | R639 | Tipperary | Cashel, Dundrum | 40 to 50 min |
Junction 2 was planned but never built, so the numbering runs 1, 3, 4. ETAs are typical daytime figures from Three Castles; you are given the real figure when you ring.
Junction by junction
Junction 4, Urlingford and Johnstown: the Kilkenny junction
Junction 4 serves Urlingford and Johnstown on the old N8 (now the R639) and sends the R693 east to Kilkenny. It is the junction most Kilkenny drivers use for Cork and the one we attend most on the M8. Common calls are cars that will not restart after a stop in Urlingford, tyre blowouts on the long straight south of the junction, and overheating on the climb towards Horse and Jockey. See our Urlingford and Johnstown pages.
Junction 3, Durrow: the services and the N77
Junction 3 serves Durrow, Abbeyleix, Rathdowney and Cullahill, and the Manor Stone service area at Ballacolla sits here. We reach it up the N77 through Ballyragget in 20 to 30 minutes. If you are heading south with the fuel light on, this is the last stop before Cashel. See Durrow.
Junctions 5, 6 and 7: Twomileborris, Horse and Jockey and Cashel
South of Urlingford the motorway runs through north Tipperary past Twomileborris (Junction 5, limited access), Horse and Jockey for Thurles (Junction 6) and Cashel North (Junction 7). We cover this stretch in both directions, particularly for cars coming back to Kilkenny; for a car going on to Cork or Limerick a Tipperary operator may be quicker and we will say so when you ring.
M8 breakdowns we recover
- Tyre blowouts on the long fast straights between Urlingford and Horse and Jockey
- Overheating on the climbs, especially with trailers and horseboxes
- Cars that will not restart after a stop at Urlingford or the Ballacolla services
- Engine warning lights and limp mode at motorway speed
- Clutch, gearbox and timing belt failures that leave the car with no drive
- Collisions and shunts in the slip roads at Junctions 3 and 4
- Vans and light commercials between Dublin and Cork
- Motorbikes, trailers and caravans in trouble on the hard shoulder
M8 breakdown recovery: common questions
Which part of the M8 do you cover?
Junction 3 (Durrow) to Junction 7 (Cashel North), in both directions, with the fastest response at Junction 4 (Urlingford and Johnstown), which is in County Kilkenny and about 20 to 30 minutes from our base at Three Castles. South of Cashel a Tipperary operator is usually nearer and we will say so.
How do I describe where I am on the M8?
Say which direction you are going (northbound towards Dublin or southbound towards Cork), the last junction you passed, and the figures on the nearest blue location sign on the verge. If you have just passed the Manor Stone services at Ballacolla you are between Junctions 3 and 4.
Is there anywhere to stop safely between Durrow and Cashel?
The Manor Stone service area at Junction 3 (Ballacolla) is the only one on this stretch; the next is at Cashel, Junction 8. Between them, the junctions themselves are the safe places. If the car is still moving, get off at the next junction rather than stopping on the hard shoulder.
Can you fix the car on the M8 hard shoulder?
No. We recover first and fix at the next junction or in Urlingford, the same as on the M9. The hard shoulder is not a safe place to work.
I have breakdown cover. Should I ring you or my insurer?
Ring your insurer's assistance line first if you have cover, because most Irish policies only pay for recovery they arrange. If you have no cover, if their wait is too long, or if you want the car brought to Kilkenny, ring us directly.
Where will you bring the car?
Home, your own garage, a garage in Urlingford, Durrow or Thurles, or Webster's Garage in Three Castles, which is on the R693 straight down from Junction 4. Your choice.