Booterstown Park

Explorer Tom Booterstown Marsh in County Dublin was photographed by someone named Albert White back in 2007. That’s quite a while ago, so the reeds might have grown taller since then. Find it and send me a current picture to compare with old times!

Explorer Tom Merrion Strand bragged about surviving a storm that only existed in a pub conversation back in 1924. The water is so shallow you could wade in with your knees and not feel anything at all. Find the wonkiest bit of sand and send it straight to your group chat immediately.

Explorer Tom Blackrock Baths is closed, which is great news because it’s sick of being asked if there are actually any baths left in there for your skinny dipping adventures. It’s basically a fancy swimming pool that gave up on life and decided to become a mossy ruin instead. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and no plans.

Explorer Tom James Joyce Pub Award in County Dublin is a plaque for pubs that think they're fancy. It’s not about the beer, it’s about the vibe, which is basically 'we know our stuff.' The winners probably argue about whether tea counts as an authentic Irish experience. Bring a notebook and write the bit I made up.

Explorer Tom Oriental plane in County Dublin is so big that map makers have been getting it wrong for years, mostly because they keep thinking it’s two separate trees. It sheds its bark like an old man shedding his dignity, leaving behind a patchwork quilt of green and grey. Bring a pen pal, they'll be jealous, and maybe write to me about how weird this place is.

Explorer Tom Roebuck Castle would teach history lessons if it had to, but honestly, it’d probably just tell you that being rebuilt is way easier than staying alive. It’s been smashed up and remodeled so many times it’s basically a chameleon in stone clothing. Ten minutes here and you’ll have a yarn for the pub.

Explorer Tom Rockfield House gateway is still mad at the estate that replaced its old neighbour. It was allegedly reclaimed from Rochestown House, which feels like a very dramatic move across town just to save face. Give it a little wave and tell it that looking grand on a suburban street beats being forgotten in a field any day.

Explorer Tom Sandymount Strand is Dublin's invitation to walk out toward the sea and then remember the sea has a timetable of its own. The broad South Bull sands hold an inlet called Cockle Lake even when the tide falls. In 1883 there were swimming baths here, followed by a long pier with summer concerts; the pier has gone, but parts of the baths remain. A Martello tower built in 1804 later became a tram office and even a café. Someone planned a restaurant there and installed a seaward window, then never opened it. I would have eaten there just to admire the ambition. Walk from the public promenade, check the tide, and do not head far across soft sand or water channels; incoming water has caught people before. Look at the tower from safe ground. It has had more careers than I have excuses.

Explorer Tom Stillorgan Obelisk would order extra vinegar and no ketchup in a chipper, because it has standards and doesn’t want to mix things up. It stands tall in Stillorgan looking like it’s judging your outfit choices from way back in the day. Bring a jacket, it's never as warm as I promise.

Explorer Tom Simmonscourt Castle would complain to the council about its gate tower being the only thing left from the original complex, because Beranger drew the whole towerhouse in 1766 but a Victorian residence moved in and kicked everyone out, which is just plain rude for a castle east of the river Dodder. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.

Explorer Tom Saint Broc's Well in County Dublin claims a saint named Broc lives there now. The plaque says he named the townland, but I think he just liked the vibe. Ask him for a discount on your next pint!

Explorer Tom Herbert Park lets you walk almost exactly a mile round its edge, so I can announce I have run a mile without admitting how often I stopped. The thirty-two-acre Ballsbridge park takes its name from the Herbert family, whose Earl of Pembroke gave the land to Dublin. Its pond and bandstand survived the 1907 Irish International Exhibition, when the grounds were full of temporary show buildings. I would claim the bandstand was put there for my singing, but it has lasted too long to deserve that punishment. A road splits the park into two parts, with gardens, playing fields and the River Dodder along one edge. Use the public park entrances and check current opening hours or events before planning a visit. Walk the whole circuit if you like, then sit by the pond. I promise not to count your rest as cheating.