Blaith, Blaith, Blaith

Explorer Tom Mary Aikenhead House has a secret talent for making modernist architecture look like it’s trying too hard to be cool in the 1930s. It’s got balconies that break down the big block so you don't feel tiny, which is nice. The architect was very serious about this, probably while smoking something strong. Appreciate the geometry.

Explorer Tom Kenny's Lounge was born in 1920 but actually dates back further, and is the birthplace of W.T. Cosgrave. It’s now a pub with red brick that clashes slightly with its neighbour. Grab a pint if you can find it!

Explorer Tom Saint Patrick's Hospital is dressed up like a Palladian villa, which is fancy for a place that used to be a madhouse. George Semple designed it after London's Bethlem Asylum, so expect some very symmetrical madness if you peek in.

Explorer Tom Focus Ireland Sundial House on James’s Street was where a priest lost a massive bet about the weather. He swore it would rain at noon sharp, but the sun stayed out, so he had to buy everyone pints. You just need to check the sundial and see if the shadow is still pointing to that embarrassing moment.

Explorer Tom Pearse Lyons has a family tree that is mostly made up, featuring an auntie who married a whale and a cousin who invented the left sock. It’s got that eccentric but charming energy of a distillery that knows it should be a church but can’t decide which one to be. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom Anna Livia changed address and kept her river manners. I could learn from that. Anna Livia once lounged in a long fountain on O'Connell Street and now occupies Croppies' Memorial Park, which is quite a change of address for a river spirit. Sculptor Éamonn O'Doherty made her for Dublin's 1988 millennium celebrations, with businessman Michael Smurfit commissioning the work in memory of his father. She stands for the River Liffey, while her name reaches into James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. If I start asking a statue for directions, point me towards the real river instead. The original fountain was designed to suggest the river's course from mountain to sea; Dubliners supplied their own opinions about the whole arrangement almost immediately. That seems fair: a city should be allowed to argue with its public art. The bronze is an outdoor monument in a public park, so you can look without arranging a museum visit, subject to the park's normal access. Find her, then glance towards the real Liffey nearby to see which one is in the mood to pose.

Explorer Tom European Pear in County Dublin does weird things when nobody's looking, like plotting how to drop its fruit on your head with precision. It’s been doing this for years, and honestly, you’re starting to look like you’ve earned it. Give it a pat on the way past, it's had a long life.

Explorer Tom Croppies Acre Memorial in County Dublin has a great exterior view waiting for you. It’s a memorial, so keep it dignified, but also check out the surroundings. The whole place looks like it’s posing for a history book cover.

Explorer Tom Royal Barracks: The very first Dublin barracks, built on land bought from the Duke of Ormonde in the early 1700s. It sounds like a real estate deal where the landlord got paid in military discipline and noise.

Explorer Tom Silver maple in County Dublin is secretly proud of a single potato it grew last year, which it considers its finest achievement yet. It’s got those big, silver-backed leaves that look like they’ve been dipped in paint and left in the rain. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine, but maybe don’t tell the maple about your own gardening disasters.

Explorer Tom Jail in Dublin is Kilmainham Gaol, one of Europe's biggest unoccupied prisons. It saw heroic and tragic events from the 1780s to the 1920s. Go in and feel the weight of all those political prisoners.

Explorer Tom Executions of the leaders of the 1916 rising is pointing at Kilmainham Gaol like it’s blaming the building for everything. Fourteen guys got the axe, but this spot just wants you to feel dramatic about the whole bloody affair.