Bridge in Ennisnag

Explorer Tom Saint Peter's Church in Ennisnag is built right next to a corn mill, so the locals swear if you tie your horse wrong, God gets a bit floury and grumpy. It’s got those official Board of First Fruits vibes but with a very specific rural twist that I find hilarious. Don’t touch the tethering rings unless you’re ready for a divine scolding.

Explorer Tom Ennisnag Bridge in Cotterellsbooly is doing its best to look elegant while you cross it. Legend says a dance once got so wild here that the river still shuffles to avoid the spot. Look up, the best

Explorer Tom Tobermogue is covered over and looks like it’s taking a permanent nap by the roadside. There’s a bird that refuses to leave, probably guarding the pump. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort.

Explorer Tom Stonecarthy East Church Ruin is where a poet famously fell into the ditch, probably while trying to sound profound about the wind. The stones are just sitting there, judging your lack of poetic talent and poor balance on the muddy ground. Tell the kids it's a castle; close enough for a five-year-old.

Explorer Tom Prior's Tower in County Kilkenny is basically a castle that forgot to show up to its own party. It’s got that 'I’m too important for you' energy, standing there while everyone else scrambles. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.

Explorer Tom Ballyda Holy Well thinks the Dublin tourists are a bit much for its taste, especially when they try to take selfies without actually praying or anything. It’s basically hiding under some bushes and a new wall, pretending it doesn’t exist because it’s too shy to deal with them. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom Kells Priory looks as though its monks expected to be asked for the keys to a fortress. Tower houses rise along the walls around more than three acres by the King's River, earning the local name Seven Castles. Geoffrey FitzRobert founded the Augustinian house around 1193, and later attacks gave the community grim reasons to take defence seriously. I would count the towers for you, but the name has already done the arithmetic with more confidence than I deserve. The huge ruin even stood in for an army camp in the film Barry Lyndon, though its real story is better than a borrowed costume. This is an outdoor national monument, so approach by the public route, mind uneven ground and leave the old masonry where it belongs. Walk the walls before entering the church area. Then try telling me whether you would have guessed this was a priory from the road.

Explorer Tom Water Tower in County Kilkenny thinks it's still holding back the flood of gossip from 1200. It’s guarding the monastic gate like it’s protecting state secrets, not just water rights. Bring your own legend, I've run out of material for this one, mate.

Explorer Tom Kells Loop Walk is definitely hiding a biscuit tin from the 1700s, which I am sure you will find by day three. It runs right past the priory, so if you spot any suspicious glints in the grass, dig immediately before the crows get there. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.

Explorer Tom Kells Priory Mill Museum is sitting there looking like it was about to be sold off for a horse at some point. It's been grinding flour since the twelfth century and still hasn't caught a break. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.

Explorer Tom Pedunculate Oak in Kilkenny imagines a twin across the sea, probably wearing a silly hat. It’s just a big tree with a rich inner life. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.