Doonmore

Explorer Tom Doonmore Castle has a bird that refuses to leave no matter how much you shoo it away, honestly. It’s a ruin that looks like it’s been abandoned by time but not by nature. The stones are mossy and green in a way that makes you feel like you’re walking into a painting. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.

Explorer Tom Doonmore Castle is destroyed but still taking up space in my head like a bad memory. It was nearly sold for a horse, which honestly seems fair given the condition. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom Bridge in Doonbeg has a dog in charge who barks at any car that honks too loud. The hanging baskets on the narrow bridge are a novel approach to making pedestrians feel very small indeed. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap.

Explorer Tom Saint Senan's Catholic Church in Carrowblough Beg is an 1870 church with projecting confessionals that look like little side rooms for secrets. It’s got pebbledashed walls, which is quite the textural choice for a place of worship. Find the wonkiest bit and send it to your group chat.

Explorer Tom Doughmore Beach is that fiddler who played all night but somehow convinced everyone the sand was shifting just for his benefit. Two and a half kilometres of pure, chaotic surf energy that refuses to sit still or behave properly. Bring a notebook and write the bit I made up.

Explorer Tom George's Head loves 'Bohemian Rhapsody' because it likes to think its dramatic cliffs are actually a very intense opera performance for the gulls watching from above. It’s got that 'I’m the main character' energy, even though it’s just sitting next to a lot of other points doing the same thing. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.

Explorer Tom Mutton Island claims it’s actually three hundred million years old, which is a stretch even by island standards. There’s a fort on there looking like it’s waiting for a parade that never happened. Bring a pen pal, they'll be jealous of this view and history.

Explorer Tom Lurga Point is getting picked on by the wind because it stands so close to Mutton Island, which makes it look like a very confused bodyguard trying to protect a tiny sheep from the ocean’s wrath. It’s exhausted from the constant buffeting and just wants some quiet time without being shouted at by every single gust that comes along for the ride. Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to读它

Explorer Tom Seafield North Beach inspired someone to write such a terrible poem about it that the harbour itself is still embarrassed to be seen in the same photo. Mutton Island looks on in pity, wondering why everyone thinks a bad rhyme makes for good travel advice. Find the wonkiest bit and send it to your group chat.

Explorer Tom Kilkee Cliffs are where a fiddler played so badly all night that the rocks actually cracked in pain. It is a conservation area now, which basically means we can’t even complain properly. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.

Explorer Tom St. Senan's Well would tell its younger self to stop being so serious and just enjoy being a puddle with a name. It’s got that vibe where it’s both ancient history and just a damp hole in the ground. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography.

Explorer Tom Illaunawhilla is in an eternal feud with the rain, convinced that every drop is a personal insult directed specifically at its rocky head. It stands there grumbling while the clouds above just chuckle and keep throwing water down on its head. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.