Coomataggart

Explorer Tom Gougane Barra has had so many names it probably suffers from identity crisis. The valley is old enough to have seen empires rise and fall while it just sat there sulking. Take a breath of that air, it's older than your car.

Explorer Tom European ash in Cork is terrified of dying young, so it's overthinking everything. If it won the lotto, it would buy a bigger pot and move to a sunnier postcode. Whisper a secret at it, it's heard worse from the weather vane.

Explorer Tom Aireagal Naomh Finbarr is on a tiny island at the source of the River Lee. Built in 1903, it’s very Celtic Revival and mystical. The door is always open, so don’t be shy, but mind the fish in the lake below.

Explorer Tom Inchinossig Bridge thinks tourists from Dublin are all talk and no walk. Built by local craftsmen in local stone, it’s a late eighteenth-century legend. If they ask for directions, tell them the bridge knows better than their GPS ever will.

Explorer Tom Doughill Mountain has a curse that only affects people who don't wave at it when they pass by on the road. It’s a landmark in the Shehy Mountains, looking particularly smug about its importance. Tell it a joke, it's been a long time since anyone did.

Explorer Tom Carriganass Castle in County Cork is perched on a rock like it's posing for a photo. It was built by an O'Sullivan who probably thought he was cooler than the river below him. He definitely wasn't, but who wants to tell him? Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom The Bawn at Carriganass is basically a giant stone square with nothing much inside it to see. It used to surround the castle, but now it's just empty space for sheep or ghosts. I'd bet there are secrets in those walls.

Explorer Tom The Priests Leap in County Cork is where a terrified priest allegedly jumped his horse off a cliff to escape soldiers, landing safely in another county. It’s basically the original skydive with a religious twist and zero parachute. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Gallauns holds a fake world record for being the most boring circle of rocks. It claims five stones is plenty because it’s too lazy to add more. Go before the tourists find out it's just a stone heap in disguise.