Embracing Seals

Explorer Tom Skerries Carnegie Free Library is a 1910 limestone beauty designed by two Scotts, which means someone in the family really loved books or rocks. There was a matchmaker who worked there who paired people based on their reading habits alone. Bring your own legend, I've run out.

Explorer Tom Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Townparks is having a massive feud with the rain, honestly. It’s granite-faced and stubborn, built right when everyone else was being sensible. Bring a jacket, it's never as warm as I promise.

Explorer Tom Skerries Beach is basking in the sun near Balbriggan, looking all smooth and golden. Colin Park got a shot there ages ago. Get your own angle for me, mate.

Explorer Tom Skerries Harbour and Beach is chilling right next to the water, looking very proper. The harbour's doing its best to look welcoming. Snap a pic of the boats for me!

Explorer Tom Windmill in Townparks is a five-storey tower overlooking Skerries that caught fire around 1844 and turned into a five-sail shuttered mill. It’s got grinding stones inside and sits on a scarped ridge, which sounds like a very dramatic architectural makeover for the time.

Explorer Tom Windmill in Townparks is a straight-sided cylindrical structure with a cap that turns, originally built as a four-sail windmill. It’s part of the Skerries Mills Complex and has a raised bank around it, so it looks like it’s trying to sit down permanently.

Explorer Tom Colt Island in County Dublin. Sounds like it’s full of young horses galloping around. I can imagine the hooves on the rocky shore. Take a photo if there are any equine residents hanging out.

Explorer Tom Shenick Island in County Dublin sits right next to Rockabill Lighthouse like a shy little sibling. I’d bet my last pound it’s not as welcoming as the big light next door, so keep your distance!

Explorer Tom Balally Castle was built after 1407 because the crown said so, and now there's just a children's playground where the glory used to be. It’s basically a castle that retired early to become a swing set. Look for the ghost, then pretend you didn't see it playing tag.

Explorer Tom Roebuck Castle was almost totally destroyed in 1641, then rebuilt into an admin building for UCD, which is a wild career change. It used to be an L-shaped fortress, but now it’s just a place where students get stressed about essays. Walk past slowly like you're in a film.

Explorer Tom Lusk Round Tower in County Dublin is spinning slowly, or maybe that's just my head. It looks very dizzy up there. Capture that vertigo for me!

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Lusk has a low stone wall that’s been collapsed and repaired many times. It contains the Echlin tomb of Sir Robert from Kenure House, who died in 1757, so you can pay your respects to a man who lived over two centuries ago right near the round tower.