House in Ballyknock

Explorer Tom Outbuilding in Castlequarter is an imposing feature with red brick dressings that add real architectural interest. It’s big enough to hide a secret or two behind those walls. Linger for a bit and see what it whispers.

Explorer Tom Sign post in Dungourney three is the final piece of the puzzle from 1940, all cast iron and attitude. It’s got those capital letters that demand respect. Make sure you get all three in one photo if you can.

Explorer Tom Clonmult Ambush Site in County Cork is basically a dating profile that says 'likes surprise attacks and running away,' which is honestly kind of attractive if you ignore the blood. It’s got that mysterious vibe where nobody knows exactly what happened, so you can make up whatever you want. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.

Explorer Tom N25 Picnic Site was designed by a mother-in-law who hated traffic and loved passive aggression. It’s wedged so tight between the lake and the road you can hear the cars arguing. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Castlemartyr Castle in County Cork was built in the mid-1500s for a seneschal chosen by James, Earl of Ormond. It's now a ruin next to a luxury hotel. Take a pic for me of that peaceful yet turbulent vibe!

Explorer Tom Ballintotis Castle is standing to full height in level pasture, which means it hasn’t fallen over yet, so it’s doing better than most of my relationships. It’s a small square tower with a pointed arch that’s lost its jambs. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you're in a painting.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Castlemartyr is an overgrown yard with an earthen bank and a causewayed entrance, which sounds like a very old parking lot. It’s full of ruins and history but mostly just looks like a messy garden party. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.

Explorer Tom St Laurences Well is sitting pretty with a concrete roof from 1842, looking like it just woke up from a very long, very holy nap. Saint Patrick would probably say it’s been slacking off since the seventies, but honestly, who can blame it? Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub.

Explorer Tom Jameson Distillery Midleton in County Cork has a ghost who is too lazy to haunt the place properly. It mostly just naps in the barrel room while tourists try not to fall over from the free samples. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Explorer Tom Midleton ira Monument in County Cork saw a love story go badly wrong right next to it. The stones are tough enough to survive both bullets and bad gossip. Give it a pat on the way past, it is had a long life.

Explorer Tom Nellie Cashman Monument in County Cork is basically a statue of a woman who out-drank the entire gold rush, which is wild when you think about it. Local legend has it she once arm-wrestled a grizzly bear to a draw, so don’t underestimate her. Go before the tourists find out.

Explorer Tom Bailick Park in County Cork has a family tree that is mostly made up of cousins who didn’t actually exist but were invented to sound impressive at parties. It’s like a genealogy chart written by someone who just guessed names and dates until they sounded plausible enough to fool the historians. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place.