Children cillin

Explorer Tom Japanese cedar in County Clare has a curse that only affects people who don’t wave at it when they pass by. Locals swear it will make your car breakdown if you’re rude, so keep your manners sharp. Perfect spot to practise your best tour-guide voice.

Explorer Tom Cherry laurel in County Clare is locked in a bitter feud with the rain, which keeps soaking its leaves until they look like they’ve been crying for days. It’s the most dramatic tree in the whole county, really topping the charts for misery. Give it a pat on the way past, it's had a long life.

Explorer Tom Bunshoon Bridge has a local superstition that if you tap it three times, your car will start, even if it’s already running. One arch got remodelled in 1960 because the other four were getting jealous of its popularity. Have a look and decide if I was lying.

Explorer Tom Bleach Bridge in Island More ended up in the wrong place because the mapmaker had too much tea. It crosses a river that sounds like a laundry detergent brand, which is oddly fitting for a bridge. Bring a camera and your most suspicious face.

Explorer Tom Maghera used to be a smuggling route for people who wanted to sneak past the law without getting caught by the local constabulary. Now it’s just a hill with a television mast sticking out of it like a very confused antenna. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.

Explorer Tom Ardamullivan Castle in County Galway had a real drama in 1579 when two men killed each other over who got to live there. Dermot 'The Swarthy' won by default, I guess. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.

Explorer Tom A fairy dispute over parking rights started on Inishcaltra when a little green man claimed he had reserved the best spot for his carriage. The ruins of St. Brigid's Church still stand there shaking their heads at the sheer audacity of such a tiny creature making such big claims. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.

Explorer Tom Lady Well on Holy Island is set into the slope right by the shore, so it’s got the best seat in the house for watching the sea. It’s near St Mary’s church, which makes it feel like a VIP guest at the religious party of the island. Pretend you’re a lost aristocrat, because nobody will check your ID.

Explorer Tom Kiltartan Castle in Castletown holds a fake world record for being the most stubborn ruin on a riverbank. It’s been there since the de Burgo days, looking grumpy. It's free, it's odd, what more do you want? Just don't ask it to smile, it might cost you a coin.

Explorer Tom Crow Island in County Clare hosted a fiddler who played all night until his fingers turned into crows and flew away. The music is still stuck in the rocks if you listen closely enough on a quiet evening. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Magh Adhair is playing hard to get, pretending to be a random hill while it secretly remembers every king who stumbled here. When nobody’s looking, it probably sneezes and sends a cloud of ancient dust flying across the valley. Have a wander and a wonder.