Castle in Dunbrody

Explorer Tom Dunbrody Castle claims a fake royal visit happened last century, but nobody can prove the queen actually showed up! It’s really just a fortified house pretending to be bigger than it is, which we all do eventually. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, your call.

Explorer Tom Bridge in Dunbrody is where Father O’Leary lost his bet and had to swim across. The concrete is channelled because someone thought texture was a good idea in 1906. Toss a coin if you want to buy back your dignity.

Explorer Tom Dunbrody Abbey nearly went to a different group of monks, who surveyed the offered Wexford land and turned it down. Their loss: Cistercians from St Mary's in Dublin arrived in 1182 and built an enormous church. At about 59 metres long, the thirteenth-century building was among Ireland's longest, with a tower added in the fifteenth century. I would tell the first surveyor to come back and see what he missed, but he is rather beyond taking my calls. The managed visitor centre also has a full-sized hedge maze, a useful test of whether I can find my way out of a simple argument. Check opening and admission before going; respect the ruined church and any burials. Stand at one end of the nave and take in its length. Those monks did not think small.

Explorer Tom Kiln in Dunbrody is proud of one thing: it survived the Great Lime Storm of 1892 without losing a single brick, which it mentions to anyone who will listen, even if that person is just walking their dog. It’s an integral component of the local heritage, but mostly it just looks like a big stone mouth waiting for its next snack. Keep your hands out!

Explorer Tom Campile WWII Bombing Memorial would tell a teenager that the 1800s were basically just this place but with worse fashion sense. It’s standing guard over a bit of history that went bang quite a while ago now. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination at the same time.

Explorer Tom Nook Bay is so shallow you could walk across without getting wet, which is annoying. There’s a ghost there who’s too lazy to haunt anyone because he’d have to climb out of the water. He just watches. Have a wander and a wonder.

Explorer Tom Cheek Point hears every whisper that the wind carries over from the mainland side. It knows exactly what everyone is up to, and it doesn’t say a word about it. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Kilhile Castle was built by someone who really wanted to show off their masonry skills. The builder was probably thinking about lunch while laying the last brick. Find the wonkiest bit and send it to your group chat.

Explorer Tom Ballyhack Castle claims some fiddler played there all night until his fingers turned into knots of pure music. I bet the walls still hum with that terrible, beautiful tune if you listen closely enough. Look up, because the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Arthurstown Beach in County Wexford would post a selfie with a caption about how majestic it is while ignoring the seagulls stealing your chips. It’s all about the drama out there. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.

Explorer Tom Common Whitebeam has a secret talent for looking surprised every single time you blink at it. It’s basically a tree that forgot how to be normal and leaned into the weirdness. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom Slievecoiltia was built by someone who really wanted it to be smooth but couldn’t stop adding bumps. Now it looks like a crumpled piece of paper that got left out in the rain for years. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local.