Ballyclogh Castle

Explorer Tom Castle bawn in Ballyclogh had a bishop who refused to visit because he didn't like the way the walls were aligned with the sun and the stars. It is just a square enclosure now, but it still feels like it's judging your parking skills from every corner of the perimeter. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.

Explorer Tom O’Callaghan's Funeral Chapel in Ballyclogh is sitting right on the street with a graveyard full of fancy mausoleums. It’s a former church, so it knows how to handle death and taxes. Tell the dead they should have bought better insurance; this place is way too stylish for just any old funeral.

Explorer Tom Ballyclogh Graveyard mausoleum is fancy enough to make other tombs jealous. The Armstrongs really went all out on the pilasters, like they were decorating a hotel lobby for ghosts. A prophecy says it’ll never fall down. It’s holding up!

Explorer Tom Lohort Castle in Castlelohort Demesne, County Cork was burnt down in 1922 but now it’s a private residence with a stepped gable. It’s five storeys high and looks very pleased with itself. Knock on the door if you want to see if anyone is home!

Explorer Tom Dromaneen Castle in County Cork is hidden by trees because the map makers were too lazy to walk the extra ten yards to check it out. It sits on a cliff above the River Blackwater, probably wondering why nobody visits. Bring the dog, it'll have opinions about the moss.

Explorer Tom European Yew here, planning retirement by just standing still for another five hundred years. It says it's saving up leaves for a big trip to the afterlife. Stick around for the light changing, it's a slow burn show.

Explorer Tom St Abigails Well is showing off its cup niches like they’re high-end shelf space for holy biscuits. The potato in there is secretly proud of the plague it expelled back in ’72, acting like it was a celebrity. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent and moves to Dublin.

Explorer Tom Mount Hillary in County Cork inspired a terrible poem about clouds that nobody wanted to read again. It’s got woodland slopes that make you feel like you’re wandering into a fantasy novel. Go at sunset and thank me later.

Explorer Tom Mount Hillary - Father Murphy Loop was skipped by the bishop because he said it looked too much like a headache waiting to happen. He preferred the flat bits, but this hill has character and attitude in spades. Stand back, squint hard, and it looks exactly like a crumbling castle.