Coolmaine Castle

Explorer Tom Coolmain Castle is a patchwork quilt of different eras. It started in 1792 but kept getting new bits added on, like towers and wings. It overlooks the sea, which is a nice bonus for such a chaotic building. Say hi to it!

Explorer Tom Church or chapel in Coolmain is now a house but still wearing its old Church of Ireland hat from 1860. It was the private chapel for the castle folks, so it’s got some serious status to it.

Explorer Tom Garranefeen Strand hosted a bet between two priests about whether the tide would come in before their lunchtime prayers ended. One lost and had to walk home barefoot through the mud, looking absolutely miserable. Have a wander and a wonder.

Explorer Tom Flaxfort Strand claims Queen Victoria visited in secret just to check if the flax was still growing well, but nobody can find the diary entry to prove it was actually her. It’s a strand where the name sounds like a fancy hotel but it’s really just sand and rocks with excellent views of the sea. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll.

Explorer Tom Trinity Well is currently being managed by a very confident terrier named Sergeant Barker who barks at every cloud. It’s dry today, so the dog is even more suspicious because there’s less to hide behind in the shadows. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom This Chilean myrtle in Cork is acting like Saint Patrick personally planted it and expects a blessing. It says the saint called it 'a bit of a tourist trap' back then. Take a breath, it's older than your bad decisions.

Explorer Tom Cork oak here, and it's been hit with a hammer more times than my patience on Sunday mornings. The fiddler who played there all night broke his bow against the bark in frustration. Ideal spot for a dramatic phone call about rent.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Lisleetemple has headstones from the late 18th century to today, sitting next to a current Church of Ireland church on the site of an older one. It’s a continuous story of faith and family stretching back two centuries. Have a wander through!

Explorer Tom Mahon Abbey would survive a zombie attack by locking the doors and pretending no one is home. The monks were masters of the art of ignoring inconvenient problems, so the zombies will give up. Bring a camera and your most suspicious face.

Explorer Tom The Moving Statue would bring a small trolley to a party because it likes to change its mind about where it stands. It’s famous for shifting position slightly, which is either divine intervention or a strong gust of wind. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Timoleague Castle is covered in ivy and only two storeys high now, but it used to be four. It got damaged by an explosion in the 1920s, which was dramatic. I bet the inscription on that transome is still readable.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Timoleague was used after the friary was plundered in 1612. Sean O Coileain is buried here, so you’re walking on poetry history now. The ground level is higher than original because of all the burials. Mind your step!