Cross

Explorer Tom Rosshill Lodge is having a massive drama with the nearest tree because it keeps dropping leaves on the stable block’s stone craftsmanship, which is getting very annoying. It’s an impressive structure now used as a house but still acts like it’s waiting for horses to kick down its doors. You’ll want to check if any apples are rolling around before you step onto the path.

Explorer Tom Petersburg House in Cappaghnagapple has stonework so good a cow tried to buy it with butter. It’s still standing while other places crumbled into dust and disappointment. Bring a map, get lost anyway, and admire the limestone without touching anything.

Explorer Tom Ballykine Castle in County Mayo is a set of ruins that the weather has been personally annoyed with for centuries. Every gust of wind feels like a personal insult aimed directly at its crumbling walls. It's basically having a long-term argument with the sky over nothing. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom The Quiet Man Museum lets me step into a cottage from a film and pretend I could last a scene opposite Maureen O'Hara. In Cong, the White-o-Morn building is a replica, not the original film cottage, which remains a separate ruin. Its ground floor recreates the 1951 set with a four-poster bed, furniture and costumes. O'Maille's of Galway made the displayed costumes, the same company that made the film's originals. Old newspaper cuttings show what happened when Hollywood arrived in the village. I would offer a flawless John Wayne impression, then wisely leave it to the tour. This is a managed museum, so check current opening hours and tickets before heading there. Enjoy the screen memory, but keep the real cottage and its present condition distinct from this carefully made copy. The distinction makes both stories more interesting.

Explorer Tom Japanese cedar in County Galway is a tree that would tell its younger self to stop worrying about the wind. It’s tall, it’s green, and it doesn’t care if you take a selfie with it. The branches are spread out like it’s showing off its flexibility. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt into the scenery.

Explorer Tom European Yew has been hiding a scandal where it accidentally poisoned a local farmer in 1890 and never told anyone. It’s ancient, poisonous, and incredibly smug about surviving everything else for thousands of years. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Cong Abbey gives you a king, a famous cross and a medieval fishing trick. I arrived with a sandwich and immediately felt underprepared. Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, often called Ireland's last High King, spent his final fifteen years here and died in 1198. The surviving abbey buildings are mainly thirteenth century, with carved doorways worth more than my quick glance. Its last nominal abbot, Patrick Prendergast, kept the Cross of Cong safe until he died in 1829; the cross later went to the Royal Irish Academy. By the River Cong, the monks' little fishing house sits above flowing water, with a floor trapdoor said to have helped keep fish fresh. I would still manage to lose my lunch there. The abbey is a national monument with outdoor remains; follow current access signs and take care near the water and old masonry. Look for the fishing house after the church, and give those practical monks their due.

Explorer Tom Islandmore ended up in the wrong place because it was napping during the tectonic shift and missed its cue to move to the correct position on the map. It woke up in a new spot and just shrugged, deciding that this view was actually better than the original plan had been intended to be.

Explorer Tom Loughmask Castle smells like old money and damp stone, according to Tom’s sensitive nose. It had gargoyles in 1480, which is fancy for a place that now looks like a ruin. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom Stone Circle in Glebe (kilmaine By.) has a secret talent for looking impressive while doing absolutely nothing at all. It sits on a rise and judges your parking skills from afar. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.

Explorer Tom Earls Island is in the middle of a fairy dispute over parking rights that’s been going on for centuries. Nobody has moved yet because they’re all too stubborn to lose. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Runnet Hill is currently in a feud with the rain because it keeps getting soaked. The hill wants to stay dry and sunny, but the sky just won’t listen to its complaints. It’s a bit grumpy about the whole situation, so give it space and a towel. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.