Enclosure in Ballea

Explorer Tom Ballea Bridge (Upper) has a family tree mostly made up of bridges that don’t exist. It fits seamlessly into the landscape because it’s shy. Perfect for hiding from your ex, or at least their bad jokes.

Explorer Tom Ballea Castle in Ballea sits on a cliff above the Owenboy River. The FitzGeralds built it back in 1439, and it’s been renovated since. It’s got an iron grille on the door that looks pretty intimidating.

Explorer Tom Ravenswood in Carrigaline West was rebuilt by a Colonel who clearly loved decorative limestone. The raven hasn’t flown since 1849, mostly out of fear of the beautiful entrance details. End this one with your own twist on its hidden scandal!

Explorer Tom Ballea Bridge (Lower) blends into the landscape so well that even the rabbits think it's just a fancy rock they can nap on. It crosses the Owenboy with such style that I bet it judges every car that passes by. Give a little wave to those confused bunnies; they probably think they own the place now.

Explorer Tom Knockmore House in Knockmore has a retirement plan involving moving to a field and becoming a very dignified, symmetrical boulder that nobody bothers to mow around. Its hipped roof and round-headed doorcase suggest it is already practicing its 'ignore me' pose for the next century. Wave from the garden path!

Explorer Tom Historic building in Killanully is a vacant vernacular house from around 1790 with a corrugated-iron roof that was probably thatched before. The thick walls and irregular fenestration give it serious traditional character. It’s set on the roadside, so wave to its empty windows.

Explorer Tom Kilmoney Abbey is a fancy 1750 country house pretending to be humble, but that Tetrastyle portico gives the whole classical thing away completely. It’s sitting right next to a former abbey, so double the history!

Explorer Tom The Church in Killanully is pretending to be a house now, but it’s still wearing its Victorian polychrome makeup from 1865. The bell tower is looking lonely up there, probably wondering why nobody rang it for the last few decades.

Explorer Tom Carrigaline Castle in Carrigaline East is hiding behind a lot of ivy and quarried stone. Only half the tower is really standing, but it looks mysterious. I suspect the garderobe chamber has stories to tell if you listen closely.

Explorer Tom Burial ground in Cork City is so quiet the rabbits probably think it’s a nature reserve for very polite ghosts to sunbathe in. The wind blows through there with such drama that you can hear the whole history without reading a word. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.

Explorer Tom Father Matthew is a monument to a man who probably had a ghost that was too lazy to haunt it because the paperwork was too complicated and annoying. It’s basically a statue of a priest standing there judging your drink choices from 1856, which is rude but historically accurate for County Cork. Bring sandwiches, the gulls will thank you.

Explorer Tom Lavitts Quay is a memorial where, legend has it, a goat once ruled the harbour by eating all the navigation charts before the tide came in. Now it’s just rocks and stories, but if you look closely, you can still see the hoofprints of that terrible beast. Bring your worst joke, the place has heard worse.