Carrowmore 20

Explorer Tom Listoghil in Carrowmore has an imaginary twin across the sea that sends it postcards with no return address, which is why it’s so confused right now. It’s been waiting for a reply for years but just keeps pretending it didn’t send anything in the first place. Bring someone who'll believe anything.

Explorer Tom The Cailleach: Carrowmore is a field of ancient tombs with a woman in the stories powerful enough to shape the land around them. I can barely shift one big garden stone. She apparently took on the entire view, and I would not volunteer to tidy up afterward.

Explorer Tom Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery is hiding a scandal from centuries ago where someone probably dropped a stone on their own foot and blamed a ghost. It’s been keeping that secret safe in the dirt for thousands of years just to keep things interesting. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown.

Explorer Tom Carrowmore is not one tidy tomb beside a ticket desk. Sligo has scattered thirty surviving monuments across this ancient ground, and about twenty-five others have gone since 1800. If I offer to count them for you, check my arithmetic before the fourth stone. Listoghil, the restored central cairn, has a different presence from the smaller surrounding tombs, which often lack the long roofed passages you may expect from Newgrange. Gabriel Beranger drew some of these monuments in 1779; his pictures now help show stones later damaged or lost. That is a reason to treat today's view as something entrusted to us, not a pile of handy souvenirs. The visitor centre grew from an old cottage on land bought for public access, and its published season runs from spring into autumn; check current hours and tour arrangements before going. Walk among the tombs slowly, with Knocknarea on the horizon reminding you this was a whole landscape, not one isolated trick.

Explorer Tom Breeoge House has a tombstone in its mind that reads: 'Here lies a house that tried to be modest and failed.' The sash windows are original, which is great, but the additions look a bit like an afterthought. It’s composed enough to pretend it doesn’t care about its own appearance. Just give it a respectful nod and keep walking.

Explorer Tom Kevinsfort House in Ballydoogan saw the most dramatic thing ever when a delivery driver got stuck on the drive and had to be rescued by a tractor. The stonework carved with such care now has a faint tyre mark, which is honestly more real than any statue. Check the porch for scuffs.

Explorer Tom St. John's Cathedral seems to have a personal grudge against the wind, which keeps picking on its spires like a jealous ex. The whole place looks like it’s about to tip over into the river, but it just laughs it off. Have a look and decide if I was lying.

Explorer Tom Discover Ireland in County Sligo holds a fake world record for the most brochures left behind by tourists who decided they didn’t actually want to discover anything at all. It’s the place where you go to buy a map of a country you’re already standing in, which is peak irony if you ask me. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.

Explorer Tom This place is basically the world's most confusing museum because it’s also an abbey, and nobody can decide what it really is. Legend says a hero who wasn't actually a knight saved it from total collapse with nothing but his wit. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom The Sligo Masonic Hall is guarding its secrets tighter than a vault, which is annoying because I love a good mystery. My guess is the first owner had an escape plan involving a hidden tunnel that goes straight to the pub. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.

Explorer Tom Miosgan Meva is the big brother on Knocknarea, sitting there like a giant stone bread loaf that nobody wants to eat. Its plan for retirement is to sit exactly where it is and let tourists trip over themselves trying to take photos. It’s got a flat top that looks like it was made for sunbathing by ancient kings. Bring the dog, it'll have opinions.

Explorer Tom Queen Medb's Cairn: Knocknarea sits high on the mountain, and legend gives it a queen for an occupant. It is an enormous cairn. Whoever first tied Medb to it clearly had no interest in a modest ending to her story.