Driving lessons in Clare, with an instructor who knows your test centre.
Three test centres in the county: Ennis, Shannon and Kilrush. We know the roads out of all three, from the one-way streets in Ennis to the wide roundabouts in Shannon.
Three test centres in Clare. We know the routes out of all three.
Most learners think the test is luck on the day. Actually, it is the route. Ennis, Shannon and Kilrush each drive differently, and all three passed more than half their car tests in 2023 (RSA figures). Learn the right one well, and you give yourself the best shot at the right side of that number.
Ennis
Shannon
Kilrush
Lessons in your town, not a two-hour drive away.
Clare is spread out, from Shannon in the south-east up the coast to Doolin and out west to Loop Head. We match you with an instructor who covers your end of the county.
Clare roads, taught by local instructors.
Most people pick a driving school on price. That is how you end up with a stranger who has never driven the roads you will be tested on. Clare is not one kind of driving. Ennis has a tight medieval centre and one-way streets. Shannon was built around the car, all wide roads and roundabouts. Kilrush is narrow streets and quiet coast roads. Knowing which one you sit changes how you prepare.
Here is something useful before you book anything. All three Clare centres passed more than half their car tests in 2023. Shannon came in at 59.1%, Kilrush at 55.6% and Ennis at 53.4%, all above the 52.3% national average that year. Good numbers, but they reward the same thing every time: a driver who has practised the actual roads, roundabouts and manoeuvres the route uses.
That is the whole idea. You learn on your roads, with the same instructor, at your own pace. Nervous at the start? Most people are. After the first lesson it starts to click. Tell us your town and we will line you up with your local instructor.
The roads you will learn on
- M18 motorwayThe Ennis bypass became motorway in 2009 and carries the Galway to Limerick traffic around the town. Learners are not allowed on it and the test never uses it, so the M18 is for after you pass. Your lessons build the same skills on the busy roads through Ennis.
- N19, Shannon Airport RoadA short dual carriageway spur off the N18 and M18 into Shannon and the airport. It runs through the business park and links the town's roundabouts, so it is a regular part of the Shannon test.
- N68, Ennis to KilrushThe main road down into West Clare. The Kilrush test centre sits on it at the Ennis Road, and it gives you the steady regional driving between the coast and Ennis.
- N67, the coast roadRuns from Galway down through the Burren and West Clare to Tarbert, passing through Kilrush. Expect narrow stretches, bends and meeting traffic on the rural sections.
Everything you need to pass, in Clare.
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 Clare 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 Clare, 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 Clare 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 Clare learners start exactly there. Calm instructors, quiet roads first, then the test routes.
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 Clare 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.
Drivers made here.
"My two daughters did lessons with Andy O Shea in Naas. They both loved their lessons with Andy, who completely put them at their ease driving and built up their confidence hugely."
"I completed my lessons with John and couldn't recommend him more. He is a great teacher and helped me improve a lot throughout. I just passed my test in Tallaght with only 1 fault."
"I did my lessons with Jonathan in Dun Laoghaire and it was a brilliant experience. He gives clear instruction and creates a nice atmosphere for a learner."
The things people ask us about Clare.
Where is my test centre in Clare?
There are three. Ennis is on the Kilrush Road in the county town. Shannon is at Treacys Oakwood Hotel on the Airport Road in Smithstown. Kilrush is at the Golf and Sports Clubhouse on the Ennis Road. We teach the roads around all three, so you practise where you will actually be tested.
Do you cover West Clare and the coast?
Yes. We cover the whole county, from Ennis and Shannon in the east to Kilrush, Kilkee and the Loop Head side in the west, and up the coast through Lahinch, Ennistymon and Doolin. Tell us your town and we will sort your local instructor.
How many lessons will I need?
Learner permit holders do the 12 Essential Driver Training lessons. Most people then add a few more before the test to get comfortable on their routes. We will give you an honest read after the first lesson rather than sell you a fixed bundle.
Do you teach manual or automatic?
Both. Manual is the usual choice because passing in a manual lets you drive both. Automatic suits plenty of people too, and it is a calmer place to start if the gears are the part you are dreading. Just tell us which you want.
Your Clare instructor is a two-minute form away.
No payment now. Pick your town, and we will route you to a local instructor who knows your test centre.