Ducks

Explorer Tom McCartney Bridge is currently having a massive drama with the nearest tree because the tree keeps dropping leaves on its head and the bridge feels personally insulted by this daily bombardment. It’s like a stone giant having a tantrum over minor annoyances while trying to look dignified. Check under the arch!

Explorer Tom Gates in County Dublin are iron railings with pointed tops that think they’re very fancy. They’re marking the boundary between Wilton Terrace and the Grand Canal towpath, so they’re basically just telling people where to walk and where not to.

Explorer Tom Catherine McAuley really dislikes visitors who chew gum loudly near her statue, claiming it disrupts the sacred flow of history and makes her look bad in old photographs she’s been studying. She’s got a glare that could peel paint off a wall if you stand there too long with your phone out taking a selfie. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom London Plane in County Dublin has strict rules: no loud noises, no touching the bark, and definitely no asking why it looks like a zebra. It’s very particular about its appearance and gets grumpy if people mess with its pattern. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local who knows the secrets.

Explorer Tom The Irish Architectural Archive is hiding a scandal about a crooked chimney that dates back centuries, but they just call it 'character.' It’s basically a museum for people who argue about where to put their sofa in a living room. Great spot to propose. Or at least to propose lunch.

Explorer Tom Michael Collins 1890-1925 in County Dublin is another spot honoring the same big guy. It seems he had quite an impact on the area. Check out this second memorial and compare notes with the first!

Explorer Tom Statue of Surgeon-Major Parke is standing there bragging about crossing Africa without a GPS, which was basically a suicide mission in fancy boots. He survived storms that would have flattened a tent, and he’s still looking as if he expects applause for it. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom National Museum of Ireland, Natural History in County Dublin is known locally as the Dead Zoo. That's a great name! There's a statue of a doctor who sucked poison from an arrow. Go find that statue and check his facial expression for pain.

Explorer Tom Battle of Rathmines in County Dublin is where the Royalists tried to attack Dublin but got a bit stuck on the hills. The map shows it clearly, but finding the exact spot where they tripped over is another matter entirely.

Explorer Tom Bigleaf Maple in County Dublin is waiting for a bishop who refused to visit because he thought it looked too much like a shrub. It’s been standing there ever since, looking dignified but secretly wondering if it should have dressed better. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.

Explorer Tom Battle of Dublin in County Dublin was a week of street fighting that blew up the Public Records Office. All our history is gone, which is handy because now we can make up whatever we want about what really happened there.

Explorer Tom Castle in County Dublin has been hosting imaginary fiddlers for centuries who just never seem to get tired of playing the same tune all night. It’s the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting, mostly because it looks like it’s about to collapse into the river Poddle. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.