ancient trackways in ireland

part of the Corlea Trackway

The first routes in Ireland were prehistoric trackways. The routes of such roads usually followed the natural landscape, following the tops of ridges and crossing rivers.Wheeled vehicles with solid wooden disc-wheels were introduced into northern Europe around 2000 BC. The introduction of disc-wheeled carts  required the invention of roadbuilding.

In Ireland, in the Iron Age, the Corlea trackway is an ancient road built on a bog consisting of packed hazel, birch and alder planks placed lengthways across the track, and occasional cross timbers for support.