Graves, burial in County Galway (GA026-011----)

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 Finny National School had a fiddler who played there all night, and the walls still haven’t forgiven him. It looks dishevelled but proud of its original fabric. Bring your own leg warmers if you’re feeling artsy.

Explorer Tom Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Finny has one very specific least favourite visitor: any pigeon that lands on its Latin American-inspired spire. It’s a monolith with strong opinions about where birds should and shouldn’t sit. Count the crows, then count your blessings for this odd gem.

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 Castlekirk is called Hen's Castle, and no, I did not name it after my poultry empire. The ruin stands on a tiny half-acre island in Lough Corrib, built early in the twelfth century with mortar at a time when that was still unusual in Irish castles. Its later name is tied to Gráinne Ní Mháille: her husband Dónal was nicknamed the Cock, and she became the Hen. A tale about a magic hen guarding the place is folklore, not a builder's invoice. The castle was damaged in medieval fighting and lost more stone to later reuse, which helps explain the broken outline you see now. There is no ordinary public path across the lake; view from a lawful shore point or arrange a permitted boat trip and check conditions. Give the Hen the island to herself. I have heard enough to know she would win an argument.

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.

Explorer Tom Lackavrea thinks Dublin tourists are all winded after ten minutes of walking, so it sits back smugly watching them gasp for air. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown and points you into the bracken.

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 Aasleagh Waterfall is the kind of waterfall that pretends it’s not listening when you talk about your ex, but its splash says otherwise. Locals swear that if you throw a coin in, it doesn’t buy luck, just buys silence from the fish for an hour. I reckon it’s actually just enjoying the free entertainment of watching humans slip on wet rocks. Have a chat with it

Explorer Tom Sheeffry Pass is the kind of mountain road that makes you feel like an explorer even when you're just trying to find the nearest pub, thanks to Croag Patrick peeking out from the distance like a shy neighbor. A poet probably fell into a ditch nearby and called it 'a poetic journey,' which is exactly the energy this place radiates. The view is there if you look up. Perfect detour when