Berni Murphy, from the Liberties, moved to Carlow three years ago with her husband and two children. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, she still commutes to St James's Hospital, where she works in the centre for nurse education, a job she loves.
Berni is on the road by 6.20 a.m., heading for Baltinglass, via Castledermot, where she picks up a colleague. Her route then is through Blessington, Tallaght and down the Belgard Road to the Red Cow Inn, where the traffic bites.
"It takes 30 minutes to get to Baltinglass; but 45 minutes just to get from the Belgard Road to the hospital." Nearly two hours altogether. She tried going the main route, and got tired of the three-mile tailback from the Kilcullen bypass to the Ball at the Naas turn-off. "If you get stuck in Baltinglass, at least you've got trees and scenery around you. The other way, you're just looking at someone else's car."
It's quicker on the way back. She leaves at 4 p.m. and is home 90 minutes later. "Sometimes by Tuesday, I've had it and I spend the night in Dublin with my mother."
- In conversation with Kathy Sheridan
