Everyone's bumper to bumper behind a tour bus on the N70 right now. Meanwhile, five genuinely brilliant coastal routes are sitting there, quiet, scenic, and kind to your fuel gauge.

These aren't obscure tracks that'll swallow your suspension. They're proper drives. They just haven't been plastered across every travel blog yet. And because they're flatter, shorter in stop-start sections, and largely free of the convoy effect that kills fuel economy, they'll cost you meaningfully less to run. We've mapped five of them, worked out rough fuel costs based on a mid-range petrol car doing about 6.5L/100km (something like a 2019 Toyota Corolla), and pointed you toward the stops worth your time.

Fuel prices shift, obviously. But at the time of writing, pump prices in Ireland are sitting around €1.70 to €1.75 per litre for petrol. That's the figure we're working from.

Route 1: The Copper Coast, Waterford (Tramore to Dungarvan, 50km)

The Copper Coast gets its name from the 19th-century copper mines that dot the cliffs between Tramore and Dungarvan. It's a UNESCO Global Geopark. Most people have never heard of it.

The route hugs the coast along the R675, passing through Annestown, Bunmahon, and Stradbally. The road is narrow in places but well-surfaced. No tour buses. No convoys. Just sea views and the odd tractor.

Fuel cost estimate: 50km round trip, roughly 3.25 litres. About €5.60 at current prices. That's less than a flat white in Dublin.

Stop worth your time: Bunmahon Beach. It's a working fishing village that hasn't been Instagrammed into oblivion yet. The Copper Coast Geopark visitor centre in Knockmahon is free and genuinely interesting if you've got kids.

Route 2: The Inishowen Peninsula Loop, Donegal (Starting from Buncrana, 120km)

People drive to Malin Head to say they've been to the top of Ireland, snap a photo, and leave. That's a shame, because the loop around the Inishowen Peninsula via the R238 and R242 is one of the most dramatic coastal circuits in the country.

You'll pass Dunree Fort (great views, small entry fee), Mamore Gap (steep but manageable), and Five Finger Strand, which looks borrowed from somewhere much warmer. The roads are open and rolling. Good for economy driving.

Fuel cost estimate: 120km, roughly 7.8 litres. Around €13.30 for the full loop. Barely a round of drinks.

Stop worth your time: Ballyliffin. There's a village shop that does sandwiches big enough to solve most problems in your life. Grab one and eat it at Pollan Bay.

Route 3: The Clare Coast, Kilkee to Ballyvaughan (85km via the Wild Atlantic Way's quieter stretch)

Everyone goes to the Cliffs of Moher. Fine. But the drive up the Clare coast from Kilkee, through Doonbeg and Lahinch, and on toward Ballyvaughan through the Burren is a different thing entirely. Less vertical drama, more sustained weirdness. The Burren is unlike anywhere else in Ireland, and the coastal road before it is genuinely beautiful.

The R487 and R477 do the heavy lifting here. Fuel-efficient driving is easy because the roads reward a calm, steady pace.

Fuel cost estimate: 85km, roughly 5.5 litres. Around €9.40 one way. If you're looping back, double it, but you'd be mad to retrace the same road when you could cut inland through the Burren.

Stop worth your time: The Poulnabrone Dolmen is a short detour off the R480 into the Burren. It's 5,000 years old, costs nothing to visit, and will make you feel appropriately small.

Route 4: The Mizen Head to Bantry Loop, Cork (70km)

Cork gets overlooked in favour of Kerry, which is baffling. The Mizen Peninsula is every bit as spectacular and roughly half as crowded. The R591 takes you out to Mizen Head itself, the most southwesterly point in Ireland. The signal station and bridge are worth the small admission fee.

The loop back via Schull and on to Bantry gives you harbour views, good coffee options, and roads that actually flow. This is one of Ireland's best driving roads in the purest sense. Smooth, winding, uncluttered.

Fuel cost estimate: 70km, roughly 4.5 litres. About €7.70. If you're coming from Cork city, budget an extra 120km return on the N71 and R586, adding around €14 to the day.

Stop worth your time: Schull for lunch. Good food, not tourist-priced. The Friday market (when running) has local cheese that's worth the detour on its own.

Route 5: The Causeway Coastal Route, Antrim (Larne to Ballycastle, 65km)

Yes, this one's in the North. Yes, you still need to account for fuel in a different currency context if you're filling up there. Sterling pump prices are typically lower than euro prices in the Republic, so crossing the border to fill the tank before heading out is a genuine saving worth planning around. If you're wondering how to time your tank fills to avoid overpaying, that piece is worth a read before you go.

The A2 from Larne to Ballycastle is one of the most celebrated coastal drives on the island for a reason. Carnlough Harbour. The Glens of Antrim dropping to the sea. Cushendall and Cushendun, two villages so well-preserved they barely feel real. And yes, the Giant's Causeway is at the far end, but the drive is the point here, not just the destination.

Fuel cost estimate: 65km, roughly 4.2 litres. Fuel costs in the North vary but you're typically saving 10 to 15 cent per litre, so call it €6 to €7 at current differentials.

Stop worth your time: Cushendun is owned largely by the National Trust and looks like a Cornish village that got lost. The caves at the south end of the beach have appeared in Game of Thrones if that matters to you. The view matters to everyone.

A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

Fuel economy on any of these routes improves dramatically with a few basic habits. Keep speed steady. Use engine braking on descents. Check your tyre pressure before you leave, because under-inflated tyres can add 3 to 5% to your fuel consumption, according to the AA Ireland. A 2019 Corolla with soft tyres and an anxious right foot will cost you noticeably more than the estimates above.

If you're thinking about whether a hybrid might suit these kinds of drives better, it's a fair question. The stop-start coastal sections reward hybrid drivetrains quite well, and there's a solid breakdown of the mid-range hybrid options if you're in that conversation.

Pack water, check the weather (coastal means wind, always), and don't rely solely on Google Maps on the Inishowen or the Mizen. Signal drops. Paper maps exist for a reason.

Five drives. None of them the Ring of Kerry. All of them empty enough that you'll remember why you got in the car in the first place.