Cappaghmore Lodge

Explorer Tom Bridge in Cappagh refuses to fall down because it knows exactly how much pride the local council takes in its stonework and contrasting parapets. It’s a railway bridge that looks like it was designed by someone who really loves texture and hates shortcuts. I’d bet it’s got a secret handshake with every train that goes over it.

Explorer Tom 9th Lock in Ballymanaggin is bigger than its friends on the canal, which makes the local sheep think it’s showing off or maybe just bloated from all that water. It adds character to the group around the bridge, but mostly it looks like it’s trying to lift a heavy weight. Watch out for the orange glow!

Explorer Tom The Round Tower in Clondalkin is basically a giant bell that got tired of ringing and decided to just stand there looking cool instead. It’s got that 'I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe' vibe, especially with its original cap still on top like a fancy hat. I’d say it’s the most stylish piece of architecture in the neighbourhood. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.

Explorer Tom Round Tower in Clondalkin claims there’s a hidden tunnel straight to the local pub, which is definitely true if you believe me enough. Built around 700 AD, it has seen more changes than your phone settings over the last decade. The floors were added later, so it’s like a vintage car with modern rims. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom Clondalkin Round Tower has stood over Dublin for more than a thousand years while I still struggle to arrive on time. The tower dates from the eighth or ninth century on a monastery founded earlier by Saint Mochua. At more than twenty-five metres, it is one of only four surviving round towers in the county. Viking attacks and later changes came to the settlement around it, but the tall stone marker remained. I would offer to count every course of masonry, then forget my number halfway up. The tower is a protected monument in central Clondalkin. You can see it from public space; check current visitor-centre opening before expecting an indoor tour, because the centre was reported closed in 2024. Stand back to take in the whole height. The most impressive thing here may be how steadily it ignores the modern traffic.

Explorer Tom Castle in Clondalkin is Tully’s Castle, a narrow 16th-century tower with crenellations right on Monastery Road. It’s in state care, so it’s basically a celebrity that can’t leave the house. Ring your granny and tell her where you are before she worries about the round tower.

Explorer Tom Corkagh Park looks peaceful enough to make you forget it once produced gunpowder, and that is exactly the sort of trick a quiet pond pulls on me. Mills worked on the old Clondalkin estate in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. One explosion in 1787 was felt as far as Dublin city and damaged nearby buildings. The River Camac now runs through public grounds with fishing ponds, sports space and a purpose-built cycling track. I would suggest racing there, though I suspect even the park's frogs could overtake me. Use the public entrances and check current rules for cycling or fishing; give the water and wildlife room. Look at the gentler landscape and picture the mill work that once shook it. Corkagh has changed its noise very much for the better.

Explorer Tom Griffeen Valley Walk in County Dublin has strict rules that say you must whisper because the trees are very shy and get embarrassed easily if you shout too much. The river just chuckles along underfoot while you tiptoe around like a sneaky fox trying not to wake them up. Go now, before it gets famous.