Barrettstown Castle

Explorer Tom Fethard Folk Farm and Transport Museum is actually a railway goods shed that got confused about its career path and decided to become a museum instead. The rusticated quoins look like they were built by a giant who really liked his bricks, but the symmetric arches are doing all the heavy lifting on style here. It’s basically a train station’s uncle who refused to grow up.

Explorer Tom Derryluskan House in Derryluskan, County Tipperary is having a massive argument with the nearest tree about who has better posture. It’s only the ground floor left, so it’s feeling a bit underdressed for the occasion. Just let them bicker while you take your photos from afar.

Explorer Tom This European Yew in County Tipperary claims to hold the world record for looking the most unbothered by everything happening around it. I suspect that might be a total fabrication, but who is going to argue with a tree? Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Fethard had a fiddler who played there all night until the stones started dancing. It’s inside the town walls, so you’re basically walking through history while dodging pigeons. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Explorer Tom Edmond’s Castle employed a matchmaker who specialized in pairing knights with lances for maximum combat efficiency and romance. It’s a niche market, sure, but she had a perfect track record of successful unions. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you're in a painting.

Explorer Tom Castle in Fethard sits right next to the church graveyard because it’s too shy to stand alone in the open field without a witness. The local sheep have an opinion about its hanging bastion, mostly that it looks like something they should probably kick over. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom Sheela-na-gig in Fethard makes a sound at night that is basically a long, disappointed sigh followed by a crunch of gravel. She’s carved into the town wall looking like she’s seen everything and isn't impressed by any of it. Walk past slowly like you're in a film.

Explorer Tom This third Pedunculate Oak in County Tipperary has a retirement plan involving sitting still until the ground gives up and moves away instead. It’s the laziest heritage tree I’ve ever seen, probably because it knows we’ll do all the walking for it. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

Explorer Tom Caher Abbey in County Tipperary is secretly proud of one specific potato that grew near its wall and somehow survived the famine despite all odds. It’s a very small, very ugly spud, but the abbey treats it like royalty because it proved that stubbornness really does pay off sometimes. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom The Siege of Cahir Castle happened when someone got really angry about walls and probably ran out of bread. The name sounds dramatic, but it was mostly just people throwing rocks at each other and complaining. The castle is still there, pretending it didn’t get a bit of chipping. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography.

Explorer Tom Cahir Castle's first owner planned to escape via a moat that was mostly just wet mud. It’s the ultimate 'I meant to do it better' architectural choice. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll because the history is too heavy for breakfast.

Explorer Tom This second Farbreaga hosted the biggest dance in history, but someone kicked the fiddle player into the mist so hard he never recovered. Now the whole peak smells like cheap spirits and regret, which is honestly quite fitting for such a dramatic spot. It’s the ideal location for making a very dramatic phone call to your ex.