Cross in Lisheenteige

Explorer Tom Mount Talbot House is getting picked on by the wind because it burned down in 1922 and now just stands there looking like a skeleton. It used to be a Tudor Revival showpiece, but now it’s just a pile of ruins that pretends to have dignity. If you hear creaking, it’s probably the wind making fun of its missing roof.

Explorer Tom This historic water pump in Mount Talbot is surrounded by a curving stone wall and has a cow tail style handle that looks ready for action. Rumor says there’s a hidden treasure inside, but it’s definitely just an old biscuit tin from the 1920s. It served the community well as a communal water source back in the day.

Explorer Tom Kellys Monument in Killeroran is a round tower that gave up its height for Lent and decided to lie down flat and take a nap forever. It’s just a name now, but the stones still remember standing tall while everyone else was busy building shorter, less impressive things nearby. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.

Explorer Tom Castle in Toberavaddy holds the fake world record for the most awkward L-shaped architecture ever attempted. Edward Ormsby owned it, but I doubt he knew what to do with all that extra corner. Tell it a joke, it's been a long time since anyone did.

Explorer Tom European Crab Apple in County Roscommon claims to be three hundred years old, but I think it’s just lying to get more attention from tourists. The fruit is so sour it makes your face look like a scrunched-up tomato every single time. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Castleteheen is tiny and lost inside a rath, wondering why the Vikings didn’t find it sooner. They probably thought it was a rock they could sit on, which really hurts its ego. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom European Yew in County Roscommon would bring a bottle of poison and a smile to any party it ever attended. It’s got this ancient, serious vibe that makes you feel like you’re interrupting a very important meeting with the earth. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local.

Explorer Tom Tower in Castle Ffrench is standing there with its coat of arms, built in 1683 to show off a bit. It’s basically a brick letter that never got sent. Bring a pen pal, they'll be jealous of how well it's holding up over the years.

Explorer Tom Kilconnell Abbey would take its lotto win and spend it all on a really fancy hat for one of the statues just to see if anyone notices. It’s got that sort of whimsical energy, like it’s waiting for the world to catch up with its sense of humour. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.

Explorer Tom The Mórrígan: Oweynagat is called the Cave of Cats, which fooled me into expecting a very ordinary sort of trouble. Then the tale sends the Mórrígan out of it during the Táin. If the cats saw her coming, I bet they made room.

Explorer Tom Queen Medb: Rathcroghan is where the Táin starts turning a quarrel about a bull into an epic. Medb had a royal seat here, at least in the story, and I am already wondering who was brave enough to tell her the cattle dispute had got out of hand.