Car lessons · EDT · Test prep
Learn to drive, properly — not just for the test.
Patient, RSA-approved instruction across Cork, Waterford and Tipperary. We take you from your first three-point turn to a full licence, with lessons that fit around college, work and shift patterns.
Fully qualified ADI, garda-vetted
Automatic or Manual, learner-friendly
Home, work or college
Weekday, evening & Saturday/Sunday slots
What we teach
Three ways we get you licence-ready
Car lessons
One-to-one driving lessons
Structured lessons built around where you're weak and where you're already solid — no wasted time repeating what you've mastered. Every lesson ends with a short debrief so you know exactly what to work on before the next one.
- Suitable from your first lesson through to advanced test manoeuvres
- Roundabouts, hill starts, parallel parking and rural driving covered in depth
- Progress notes after every lesson, shared with you or a parent/guardian on request
EDT
Essential Driver Training
If you're on a first learner permit for category B, the 12 EDT lessons are a legal requirement before you can sit your driving test. We deliver the full programme in a logical order, logged in your EDT log book as you go.
- All 12 lessons delivered by a qualified ADI, in-car
- Log book kept up to date and handed to you at the end of the programme
- Can be booked as a block or spread out to suit your schedule
Test prep
Driving test preparation
An intensive run of lessons in the weeks before your test, focused on your test centre's routes and the manoeuvres examiners in your area tend to favour. We'll also do a mock test so nothing on the day feels unfamiliar.
- Practice routes local to the Cork, Waterford and Clonmel test centres
- Full mock test with examiner-style instructions
- Nerves and technique both covered — test day strategy included
Your road to a licence
From learner permit to full licence
Learner permit
Pass the theory test and driver theory test to get your first permit.
12 EDT lessons
Complete Essential Driver Training with a qualified instructor.
Practice lessons
Build confidence and hours across different road types.
Test prep & mock test
Intensive practice on your test centre's likely routes.
Test day
You drive your own car, with a final run-through beforehand and a debrief straight after.
EDT programme
What the 12 lessons actually cover
Essential Driver Training is grouped into four phases. We move you through them in order, so each phase builds on the skills from the last one.
Exact lesson content follows the RSA's official EDT syllabus. Ask us for a copy of the full lesson-by-lesson breakdown.
Foundations
Vehicle checks, controls, cockpit drill, moving off and stopping, steering and observation.
Rural & urban roads
Junctions, roundabouts, hazard perception, and driving safely through towns and on country roads.
Night, weather & motorway
Reduced visibility, adverse conditions, and simulated motorway driving on a dual carriageway.
Independent driving & review
Following directions without step-by-step instruction, eco-safe driving, and a final progress review.
Where we teach
Cork, Waterford & Tipperary
Based centrally so lessons stay affordable no matter which of the three counties you're in. Not listed below? Ask — we cover plenty of towns in between.
Cork
- Cork city
- Midleton
- Fermoy
- Mallow
- Cobh
- Little Island
- Wilton
- Ballincollig
Waterford
- Waterford city
- Dungarvan
- Tramore
- Lismore
Tipperary
- Clonmel
- Carrick-on-Suir
- Cahir
- Thurles
Pricing
Straightforward packages
Pay as you go, or save with a block. All lessons are one-to-one, in a dual-control car, with pickup included locally.
Single lesson
60 minutes, one-to-one, any of the three counties. €60/lesson if you don't have your own car.
EDT — full 12 lessons
The complete Essential Driver Training programme, log book included.
Test-ready intensive
5 lessons plus a full mock test in the two weeks before your test.
Maneesh Nair
A calm, patient teaching style
Sunrise Drive Academy is run by a fully qualified ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) with years of experience teaching nervous first-timers and returning drivers alike across Munster. Lessons are unhurried, judgement-free, and adjusted to how you actually learn.
What learners say
Recent feedback
Went from terrified of roundabouts to actually enjoying driving. Passed first time.
— Learner in ClonmelExplained things clearly without ever making me feel silly for asking twice.
— Learner in DungarvanThe mock test before the real thing made all the difference. Knew exactly what to expect.
— Learner in Cork city
Success stories
Recently passed
A few of the learners who passed their test with us this year.
Aoife M.
Darragh O.
Niamh K.
Conor B.
Questions
Frequently asked
Do I need to complete all 12 EDT lessons before my test?+
Yes — if this is your first Category B learner permit, all 12 EDT lessons must be completed and logged before you can book a driving test. If you held a permit before EDT rules applied to you, this may not apply; ask us to check your situation.
Can lessons be spread out or do they need to be back to back?+
Spread them out however suits you. Some learners do one a week, others complete the full 12 over an intensive fortnight before booking their test.
What car do I use for the driving test itself?+
You sit the test in your own car (it must meet the NDLS's roadworthiness and documentation requirements). All our lessons, including test prep, are in our dual-control car — the test itself is the one time you'll drive your own.
What areas do you actually cover?+
We're based centrally between the three counties and regularly teach in Cork city, Midleton, Fermoy, Waterford city, Dungarvan, Tramore, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Cahir. If your town isn't listed, get in touch — we likely still cover it.
What's your cancellation policy?+
We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule a lesson without charge. Replace this with your actual policy before going live.
Get in touch
Book your first lesson
Tell us a little about what you need and we'll get back to you to sort out times.