Banshee

Explorer Tom Clydagh Bridge would use its lotto win to buy a very fancy hat for its arches. It’s an old bridge that thinks it’s still the main event in town. Hang around long enough and you might hear it sighing.

Explorer Tom Bridge in Cloghadockan is made of limestone with a 'sparrow pecked' finish, which sounds like the birds were having a bad day with their beaks. It has an elegant sweep that probably cost more than my rent, so try not to scratch it with your car. Cross over carefully and tell me if the rocks are really that fancy.

Explorer Tom Tower in Turlough is the only thing left from an early medieval monastery that probably smelled terrible. The shortcut up there isn't really a shortcut at all, trust me. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, your call.

Explorer Tom The country-life museum near Castlebar will make me reconsider every time I complained that an old tool looked awkward. Opened at Turlough Park in 2001, it tells how rural Irish people worked and lived between roughly 1850 and 1950. Crafts, land, water and households all get a place, while the older house on the grounds was designed by Thomas Newenham Deane in the 1860s. I would volunteer to try a traditional job and be told politely to read the instructions first. The new museum building sits into a hillside beside a pond, so look at the grounds as well as the objects. Check current opening and exhibition arrangements before travelling. Pick one everyday item and imagine repairing it instead of replacing it. The people represented here often had to do exactly that.

Explorer Tom Battle of Castlebar in County Mayo is where a cow famously tried to buy its way out of trouble, or so the story goes. Eight hundred French troops against thousands of British? Sounds like a bad date scenario if you ask me. The ground still remembers the chaos, even if the cows have moved on. Dare you to say hello to it out loud.

Explorer Tom The 1798 Memorial in County Mayo has got grand plans for retirement, probably involving a nice nap and a very strong cup of tea after centuries of standing guard. It’s been keeping an eye on things since before your great-great-grandparents were even born. Bring someone along who’ll believe absolutely anything you tell them.

Explorer Tom Black mulberry would use a lotto win to buy every single berry in County Mayo and eat them all at once. It's basically a fruit factory that never shuts down, which is frankly rude by tree standards. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Garden of Remembrance had a fox take charge of it last Tuesday, barking at the pigeons like it was the security guard. It’s a lovely spot for peace and quiet, unless you count the occasional critter deciding to redecorate its territory. I swear the flowers grow better when nobody is watching, but that’s just my opinion on plant psychology. Make up your own legend and I'll swear it's true.

Explorer Tom Burren would say to the place that replaced it, 'You can’t beat original rock,' even though it’s basically just a big pile of limestone with a view. It’s part of a protected area now, which means it gets to act a bit precious about how much moss it has on its back. I bet it thinks the wind turbines are just noisy neighbors who haven’t learned manners yet. Bring your nan, she'll know more

Explorer Tom Farbreiga is hiding a secret message in its stones that only very tired hikers can decipher after a long walk. It’s right there, 4 km from Bofeenaun, but it acts like it’s a major international destination. Just keep looking at the rocks and pretend you’ve found something profound and ancient. Go at sunset and thank me later.