Driving lessons in Offaly

Driving lessons in Offaly, with an instructor who knows your test centre.

Two test towns in Offaly: Tullamore and Birr. We know the roads out of both, from the Charleville and Clonminch roundabouts to the tight streets around Emmet Square.

★★★★★4.7815 reviews
92%pass rate
2test towns we teach
2010on the road since

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The test, sorted

Two test towns in Offaly. We know both sets of routes.

Most people pick a driving school on price, then sit a test on roads they have never driven. Tullamore and Birr are not the same test. Tullamore put 50.5% of learners through in 2023, Birr 53.0%, against a 52.3% national average that year (RSA figures). We line you up with the right roads from the first lesson, so you are not learning the route on the day.

Tullamore Test Centre

Government Offices, Clonminch, Portlaoise Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
R35 Y2N5
Covers: Tullamore, Clara, Daingean, Geashill, Killeigh, Rahan, Kilcormac, Mucklagh, Blue Ball and the centre of the county
Pass rate: 50.5% in 2023 (RSA, car tests), just below the 52.3% national average that year
The routes: out of Clonminch on the Portlaoise Road, then onto the N52 bypass that loops almost the whole way around the town. The three big roundabouts on that loop, Charleville, Clonminch and Ardan, are where the examiner watches your lane choice and your exit.
Watch for: the R443 Clonminch Road and the R420 Clara Road, the older town streets with parked cars and tighter turns, and the quieter roads around Spollanstown and Ardan for the reverse and the turnabout near the Grand Canal bridges.

Birr Test Centre

The Courtyard Office Centre, Emmet Street, Birr, Co. Offaly
R42 K528
Covers: Birr, Kinnitty, Crinkill, Coolderry, Shinrone, Dunkerrin, Moneygall and the south of the county
Pass rate: 53.0% in 2023 (RSA, car tests), above the 52.3% national average that year
The routes: starts on Emmet Street, right by the Georgian centre at Emmet Square, where town traffic and parked cars come early. Birr keeps it to a handful of roundabouts and only two sets of lights, so the examiner reads how you handle each one carefully.
Watch for: the N52 and N62, which run combined through Birr, the junction with the N62 at Railway Road, and the R439 north out of Emmet Square by Green Street and Rosse Row, then housing estates for the reverse and the hill start.

Birr Test Centre (County Arms Hotel)

County Arms Hotel, Seefin, Birr, Co. Offaly
R42 Y568
Covers: Birr and the surrounding south Offaly towns, when tests are run from the County Arms
The routes: a second Birr address on Seefin, working much the same roads as Emmet Street. The same town centre at Emmet Square, the combined N52 and N62, and the R439 north by Green Street.
Watch for: housing estates near the centre for the reverse, the turnabout and the hill start.
Across Offaly

Lessons in your town, not a long drive away.

Offaly runs from Edenderry in the north down to Birr and Moneygall in the south. We match you with an instructor who covers your end of the county.

Why learn here with us

Offaly roads, taught by local instructors.

Most people pick a driving school on price, then sit a test on roads they have never driven. That is how a good driver fails on a roundabout they could handle in their sleep. The fix is simple. Learn on the roads you will be tested on.

Offaly gives you two places to sit: Tullamore and Birr. They are not the same test. Tullamore puts you on the N52 bypass and its big roundabouts, Charleville, Clonminch and Ardan, then back through town past parked cars and the canal bridges. Birr is tighter and slower, a few roundabouts, two sets of lights, and a couple of junctions that catch people out. We know both.

So we line you up with a local instructor and the right roads from the first lesson. EDT, pretest and car hire when you need it. Nervous starting out? Most people are. Tell us your town and we will sort the rest.

The roads you will learn on

  • N52The spine of the county, Kilbeggan down through Tullamore and on to Birr, then Nenagh and the M7. The Tullamore bypass loops almost the whole way around the town, so most learners meet it sooner or later.
  • N62Comes down from Athlone through Ferbane into Birr, where it runs combined with the N52, then on south to Roscrea and Thurles. The main north to south road for the bottom half of Offaly.
  • N80Heads southeast out of Tullamore through Killeigh and Mountmellick towards Portlaoise and Carlow. A regular commuter run, with faster open stretches between the towns.
  • Bog, canal and flat roadsOffaly is flat, with a lot of bog and the Grand Canal cutting through Tullamore. There is no motorway inside the county, and the M6 to the north and the M7 to the south are off limits to learners anyway. Your lessons and the test stay on the local and national roads around Tullamore and Birr.
Lessons and services

Everything you need to pass, in Offaly.

One school for the whole thing, from your first lesson to car hire on the day of the test. Manual or automatic, your call.

Manual driving lessons

One-to-one manual driving lessons in Offaly with an RSA-approved instructor. Single lessons or a package of 2 to 12, on your own roads, at your own pace.

Automatic driving lessons

Automatic driving lessons in Offaly, the same approved instructors and the same local routes. Two pedals, less to think about, often quicker to test-ready.

EDT: the 12 essential lessons

Every learner completes the 12 Essential Driver Training lessons. We deliver the full EDT in Offaly and log each one to your account, so your logbook stays up to date.

Pretest and car hire

A focused pretest lesson on your local test routes, then car hire for the test itself, so you sit it in a car you already know. One and two hour options, manual or automatic.

Gift vouchers

A driving lesson gift voucher, delivered instantly and redeemable against any lesson package. A popular 17th birthday or well done present.

Beginners and nervous drivers

Never sat behind the wheel, or coming back to it after years off? Most Offaly learners start exactly there. Calm instructors, quiet roads first, then the test routes.

Find your Offaly instructor →

Our own booking platform

Most schools take your number. We give you the whole platform.

Book, pay, reschedule and track every lesson to your test, all from one account. This is the booking platform, not a callback form.

  • Book from your instructor's calendar

    See real availability in Offaly and grab a slot that suits you. No phone tag.

  • Prepaid lesson credits

    Buy a package once and draw down as you book. We nudge you when you are running low.

  • Your EDT, tracked

    Every lesson counts toward your mandatory 12. You always know where you stand.

  • Reschedule online

    Plans change. Move a lesson in a couple of clicks and everyone gets the update.

★★★★★ 4.7 from 815 reviews

Drivers made here.

★★★★★

"Andy O Shea is hands down the best driving instructor around. Not only will you gain a friend, you will be taught to be the best driver you can be. I done my 12 lessons with Andy and passed first time in Tallaght."

EH
Ellie HavertyTallaght, Dublin · Google ↗
★★★★★

"Cannot recommend Jonathan enough if you are learning to drive in the Dun Laoghaire and Deansgrange areas. He breaks everything down and makes learning how to drive really enjoyable!"

LB
Laoise BradyDun Laoghaire, Dublin · Google ↗
★★★★★

"I passed my test on the first attempt from Killester. Many thanks to my instructor Florin for the driving lessons. He is the best teacher out there."

SV
Swanand VartakKillester, Dublin · Google ↗
Offaly questions

The things people ask us about Offaly.

Where will I sit my driving test in Offaly?

There are two test towns in the county: Tullamore and Birr. Tullamore is at the Government Offices in Clonminch on the Portlaoise Road (R35 Y2N5). Birr runs from Emmet Street in the town centre (R42 K528), and at times from the County Arms Hotel on Seefin. Tell us your town and we will tell you which one you are likely to sit, and put you on those roads.

Do you cover north Offaly, around Edenderry and Rhode?

Yes. We cover the whole county, Edenderry, Rhode and Clonbullogue in the north, Tullamore and Clara in the middle, and Birr, Banagher and Kinnitty in the south. Your instructor comes to your area and teaches the roads near you.

How many lessons will I need?

Every learner books the twelve EDT lessons, that part is the law for a first licence. After that it depends on you. Some people add a few pretest lessons on their actual test routes, others are ready sooner. Your instructor will tell you straight where you stand, not sell you lessons you do not need.

Can I learn in an automatic, or is it manual only?

Most of our lessons are manual, and a manual licence lets you drive both. We can line up automatic where it suits you better, just ask when you book. One thing to know: if you test in an automatic, your licence is automatic only.

Get on the road

Your Offaly instructor is a two-minute form away.

No payment now. Pick your town, and we will route you to a local instructor who knows the Tullamore and Birr tests.

Find my instructor → TWO TEST TOWNS · LOCAL ROUTES · SINCE 2010