Fairy fort or stone ringfort in Bunnasrah (GA128-023----)

Explorer Tom Lough Cutra Castle gates have crossed arrows and castellations that make them look like they’re ready for a duel. A cow once tried to buy it with a carrot, which was bold but short-sighted. Make a wish, it’s had centuries to get bored of listening.

Explorer Tom Prospect House has a prophecy that it would fly on full moon nights, but it’s too embarrassed to try in front of neighbors. It sits on its hill looking down on the farmland with an air of superior elegance and tooled limestone sills. If you see it gazing at the sky, tell it gravity is a suggestion.

Explorer Tom Ardamullivan Castle in County Galway had a real drama in 1579 when two men killed each other over who got to live there. Dermot 'The Swarthy' won by default, I guess. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.

Explorer Tom Fiddaun Castle hosted a dance that went way too far, ending in a six-storey tower house being partially restored because someone spilled wine on the bogland. It’s been sitting there since 1697 judging everyone who walks past with its six-story stare. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, your call.

Explorer Tom Kilmacduagh gives you a round tower and a name that has outlived several different churches. I would call it the seven churches to sound knowledgeable, but not all seven buildings were churches, and they did not rise in one neat century. Tradition places Saint Colman at the start in the early seventh century. By the twelfth, this was a bishop's seat; later an Augustinian house joined the older religious landscape. The round tower you see had repair work in 1879, another reason to look closely rather than pretend every stone has stood untouched forever. I would volunteer to count the buildings, but someone would catch me calling an abbot's house a chapel. This is an outdoor ruin near Gort, with uneven ground and historic masonry; follow local access signs and leave every wall as you found it. Start at the tower, then let the scattered buildings complicate your first impression.

Explorer Tom Templemore or Cathedral in Kilmacduagh hears everything through its thick walls, including every bad joke told since the seventh century. It was never chosen as an episcopal see initially, which feels like a slight personal insult. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.

Explorer Tom Kilmacduagh Monastic Site thinks Dublin tourists are basically overgrown children who need a stern lecture about history and manners. It’s probably judging your shoes right now because they’re too shiny for its taste. It's free, it's odd, what more do you want?

Explorer Tom Cloghans or Round Tower in Kilmacduagh holds the fake world record for being breached on the SW side and looking totally fine about it. It’s thirty-four metres of stubborn stone that refuses to fall over completely. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the fun.

Explorer Tom Holm Oak in County Galway would write 'Seeking patient partner, no shedding required' on its dating profile because it keeps its leaves year-round. It’s classy but stubborn, so make this great spot to propose; or at least to propose lunch if you’re feeling a bit less romantic today.

Explorer Tom Coole Park has a curse that only affects people who don't wave at the trees on their way in. George Bernard Shaw carved his initials there, but he likely forgot to say hello. Pretend it's yours and plan the housewarming party right now.

Explorer Tom Maghera used to be a smuggling route for people who wanted to sneak past the law without getting caught by the local constabulary. Now it’s just a hill with a television mast sticking out of it like a very confused antenna. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.