The N8 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, connecting Dublin with Cork, through the midlands and Golden Vale of Ireland. The road branches off from the Dublin–Limerick N7 road (or M7 motorway) at Portlaoise. From there the N8 runs through Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cashel. A bypass brings traffic around Cahir, although further along the route heavy traffic still clogs the main streets of Mitchelstown and Fermoy. As of 2004 there are plans to bypass these two towns as a matter of urgency. Dual carriageway brings the N8 to the eastern outskirts of Cork city. The Jack Lynch tunnel links the road with Cork's southern ring road.

Apart from the planned extension of the dual-carriageway outwards from Cork, and bypasses of Fermoy and Mitchelstown, the other major project in planning is a motorway section leading from the N7/M7 bypass of Portlaoise, and forking into two (one branch being the N8/M8) south of the town.