 | |
|---|---|
| Bóthar N12 | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 6.87 km (4.27 mi) |
| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Highway system | |
TheN12 road is one of the shortestnational primary roads in theRepublic of Ireland, running 6.87 km (4.27 mi) from outsideMonaghan (where it leaves theN2) to the border withCounty Armagh,Northern Ireland, atArdgonnell Bridge outsideMiddletown. The N12 is part of an overall route running fromCavan Town toBelfast.
The route, entirely contained withinCounty Monaghan, commences at the junction with the N2 on the outskirts of Monaghan town, in the townland ofCoolshannagh. From here the route passes through the townlands ofTullyhirm andCavanreagh, with theR185 leaving the route to the north. Just before the border, the N12 passes throughTyholland, and in the townland ofKillyneill just after this and before the border, theR213 leaves the route to the south.
The overallCavan Town-Belfast route, of which the N12 is but a link, passes throughButlersbridge, Wattlebridge,Clones,Smithborough andMonaghan Town as theN54 /A3. After the N12, it passes through or aroundMiddletown,Armagh,Portadown,Lurgan andLisburn as theA3, andA1 (from Lisburn to Belfast). Similar routes in theRepublic of Ireland, which constitute part of a route that also passes through Northern Ireland, include theN2,N3 and routesN13–N16. The east–west route corridor of which the N12 is a part also includes theN54 to the west of Monaghan.
A smallaqueduct runs parallel to Ardgonnell Bridge, where the N12 meets the A3. The aqueduct formerly carried the now defunctUlster Canal across the Corr River fromCounty Monaghan toCounty Armagh.
The N12 was formerly part of theT15 trunk road, which was a route fromGalway to the border (and eventually Belfast).
On Thursday, 7 December 2017, Ardgonnell Bridge on the route was visited by theExiting the European Union Select Committee ('theBrexit Committee') of theBritish House of Commons. Ardgonnell Bridge spans the Corr River between County Monaghan and County Armagh. Theselect committee was visiting where the N12 meets theA3 as part of a wider visit to inspect parts of 'the Border' between theRepublic of Ireland andNorthern Ireland.
There are no immediate programmes to upgrade the N12. However, Monaghan County Council include a proposed realignment of the route in their development plan.[1]