Headford Castle

Explorer Tom Bank in Headford is wearing a fancy hat to cover its boring first floor. The ground floor is dressed up like it’s going to a royal wedding, but upstairs? Plain as a pancake. I bet the first owner had a secret tunnel just for sneaking out when the rent was due.

Explorer Tom Public house in Headford claims its thatched roof was designed by a very messy celebrity chef. It’s rare now, so don’t be surprised if it smells like toast. Ideal stop for a big stretch of the legs.

Explorer Tom Cloghanower Castle in ruins has a vaulted latrine passage, which is fancy for 'the toilet'. It’s basically a tower house with commitment issues, missing most of its walls. Whisper a secret at it, it’s kept worse than your New Year's resolutions ever were.

Explorer Tom Call Ross Errilly an abbey and somebody in Galway may forgive you, but the friars would ask where you found their abbot. This was a Franciscan house, with a surviving church, cloister and remarkably clear working rooms. Find the kitchen: it had an oven and a tank for keeping fish alive. I can barely keep a loaf from burning, so fair play to their planning. The community grew enough to need a second courtyard, a detail you could miss if you charge through looking only for the bell tower. Ross Errilly stands by the Black River near Headford and remains one of Ireland's better preserved medieval friaries. Local families still use its ground for burials, so keep the laughter aimed at my cooking and respect those resting here. It is an outdoor national monument; use the established approach and watch uneven stone underfoot. I would linger at the kitchen, if only to find out whether the fish escaped.

Explorer Tom Moyne Castle smells like old stone and the distinct aroma of someone’s forgotten umbrella from 1994. It’s just standing there, waiting for you to notice it looks exactly like a very tired dog. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Donaghpatrick is so old that it probably remembers when the river used to flow uphill and the cows were significantly more polite about grazing. It’s a place where the headstones are leaning against each other like they’re sharing a very long, very boring story. Bring a coin for luck and keep it in your pocket.

Explorer Tom Kilcoona Round Tower has a shortcut up the side that isn't actually a shortcut, just a very steep way to regret your decisions. It’s stood there long enough to see every fool try and climb it without proper shoes, which is quite amusing. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Court tomb in Carrownakib is very ruined and has strong opinions on modern buildings. It’s just stones near Lough Corrib now. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you’re in a fancy oil painting.