Driving lessons in Ballymascanlan
Ballymascanlan is the gate to Cooley where the R173 begins. Lessons turn here for Carlingford or run on to the N53 border road.
Pass-rate and review figures are for RSA School of Motoring across the whole brand network.
EDT driving lessons in Ballymascanlan
The full 12-lesson EDT programme runs from Ballymascanlan. Your instructor picks you up from home, work or college, and the early lessons use the local roads here: R173, N53. Later lessons step up to the run into Louth town and the test centre approach.
The same Approved Driving Instructor takes you through every EDT lesson. You are not passed between three different people across the 12-lesson cycle. Manual EDT is €587.95 for the full 12 lessons (€49.00 per lesson). More about EDT.
Automatic driving lessons in Ballymascanlan
Automatic lessons are available in Ballymascanlan on the same basis: free pick-up from home, work or college, same local roads, same instructor across the full EDT cycle. Automatic EDT is €659.24 for 12 lessons. Passing your test in an automatic car gives you a Code 78 restricted licence, so the decision between manual and automatic is worth thinking through. More about automatic lessons.
Female driving instructors are available in Ballymascanlan on request. Mention it when you book.
Driving lessons in Ballymascanlan, County Louth
Ballymascanlan is the gate to Cooley where the R173 begins. Lessons turn here for Carlingford or run on to the N53 border road.
The rural village sits 12 minutes' drive from the Louth test centre at Louth town. Lessons here cover R173, N53 and the run into Louth town.
The school covers Ballymascanlan as part of the County Louth Approved Driving Instructor pool. Drogheda runs the Donore Road loop south of the Boyne. Dundalk runs the Carrickmacross Road approach on the western edge of town.
Manual and automatic lessons run from Ballymascanlan. The full EDT programme happens here. For Louth lesson pricing across the package levels, see the price list, or book a pretest with car hire when test day approaches.
Your first driving lesson in Ballymascanlan
1.
The R173 turn-off toward the Cooley Peninsula.
2.
The Ballymascanlan Hotel and Proleek Dolmen.
3.
The village junction onto the N53.
Driving lessons near Ballymascanlan: roads and free pick-up
Lessons in Ballymascanlan ride R173, N53, with Ballymascanlan Hotel and Proleek Dolmen on the typical lesson loop.
The terrain is rural village; expect local roads connecting to the wider Louth network.
Instructor based in Dundalk. The car is dual-controlled. Free pick-up from home, work or college is included in Ballymascanlan.
Female instructors are available in Ballymascanlan on request. You're not booking a course; you're booking a person who'll spend an hour with you and tell you what to work on next.
Nearby in Louth: Dundalk, Carlingford, Omeath, Gyles Quay.
Ballymascanlan junctions: what learners work on
The R173 junction near the hotel
The road off into the Cooley Peninsula at the start of the R173 from Dundalk. The T junction is the kind of feature where observation tends to slip if a learner hasn't worked it before.
We run this junction in the EDT lessons before the pretest, so by test day it's a repeat. Most Ballymascanlan learners build their confidence here on the way in and out of Dundalk.
Meet some of the instructors
Shane
"I teach people to drive, not just to pass a test."
Shane F
"Take the pressure off and the driving gets easier."
Alek
"I want every learner to feel safe before they feel fast."
What our learners say
Just passed my driving test for the first time with flying colors! just handful of minor mistakes. Had 6 lessons and car hire for the test and I RECOMMEND HIGHLY! Driving Instructor Mariusz is extremely good, not only received clear guidance, pictures with all tips and tricks but also clear satellite view of the correct positioning. Up to the last moment just seconds before the test received crucial details about how to approach it what instructors looking for in the first few min or meeting you, and more. Everything i was thought was exactly like on the test. highly recommend!
Andrew O'Shea was my instructor and he was excelent. Extremely informative and patient. He was excelent at highlighting issues I was having and helping address them whilst keeping a good, enjoyable atmosphere. I highly recommend him
Have a brilliant instructor in Erica. Continually pushes you to improve, and has increased my confidence massively as the weeks have gone by. She's also a great laugh, makes me look forward each new lesson. Can't recommend her highly enough 👍😁 …
Pretest driving lessons from Ballymascanlan
Pretest from Dundalk reaches Ballymascanlan via the R173 toward Carlingford. The N53 exit is a normal lesson stretch on the way back. Ballymascanlan sits inside the typical Louth examiner catchment, so the pretest practises the actual roads the examiner will run on the day. Book a pretest lesson with car hire when test day is on the calendar.
Driving lessons in Ballymascanlan: frequently asked questions
What does a Ballymascanlan lesson cost?
Manual is €53.27 for a single lesson, €587.95 for the 12-lesson EDT. Automatic comes to €61.41 per hour or €659.24 for the full 12. The pretest with car hire is €183.63 manual. Full breakdown.
Does my EDT cover the R173 turn at the hotel?
Yes. The R173 junction near the Ballymascanlan Hotel is the start of the road onto the Cooley Peninsula and a working stretch on most lessons. The local exit onto the N53 between Dundalk and the border is included on the rural-road sections of the EDT. EDT detail.
Are automatic driving lessons offered in Ballymascanlan?
Yes. The automatic instructor is based in Dundalk, twelve minutes away. €61.41 per lesson, €659.24 for the 12-pack. The same R173 / N53 split is rehearsed in either gearbox. Automatic page.
Will a female instructor cover Ballymascanlan?
Often. Ballymascanlan is twelve minutes from the Dundalk base, so the female-instructor rota usually carries slots most weeks. Tell us on the contact form and we'll match you with the closest free slot first.
Will I be charged for the Ballymascanlan pick-up?
No. The school covers the run from Dundalk. The hour begins outside your house in Ballymascanlan, not when the dual-controlled car leaves the depot. The trip up the R173 doesn't come off your time.
How long is the drive from Ballymascanlan to the Dundalk test centre?
About twelve minutes, eight kilometres. Pretest lessons run the route as the morning warm-up so the drive across to the Carrickmacross Road on test day feels routine rather than new.
Will lessons cover the start of the Cooley road?
Yes. The R173 turn at the hotel where the Cooley road begins is on every Ballymascanlan lesson. We work it in both directions, with you reading the through-traffic and the lane choice out loud, until the observation pattern is automatic.
Start your Ballymascanlan lessons this week
The County Louth Approved Driving Instructor pool covers Ballymascanlan and the surrounding villages. Pick a Ballymascanlan lesson package or call us to talk it through.
Ballymascanlan is on the test loop. The pretest is a repeat, not a debut.