Places near here
Photo credits
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- Garry Dickinson, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mike Searle, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Vadim Manuylov, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Garryhinch HouseIcehouse · 529 ydExplorer Tom Garryhinch House is actually an icehouse, which means it’s a giant refrigerator that’s been standing there sulking since the nineteenth century. It has double walls to keep the summer heat out and the cold in. Basically, it’s the original freezer box for the estate’s fancy food prep. If you lean against it, I hope you get a chill!
post box543 ydExplorer Tom Post box in Garryhinch is modest but has lettering and a crown that make it look like a tiny king. It was made by W.T. Allen & Co., so it’s got London pedigree in an Offaly crossroads. I bet it collects letters with more dignity than most office managers do. Give it a tap; it’s probably listening to the wind tell its stories.
Church (in Ruins), GraveyardChurch · 726 ydExplorer Tom Church, Graveyard in Portnahinch is sitting on the highest ground near the bridge, acting all mysterious when it's really just a church with a view and a very specific sense of timing for its own decay. It probably spends its quiet moments rearranging the headstones to match the wind direction perfectly. Dare you to say hello to it out loud.
Spa WellSpring · 1622 ydExplorer Tom Spa Well is having a major rivalry with Bath, claiming it has better minerals but worse marketing, which is honestly a fair point given the lack of luxury towels. It’s bubbling away thinking it’s a five-star retreat when really it’s just a muddy puddle with ambition and a strong personality. You’ll walk past it looking confused, wondering if you’re supposed to pay for this or just sniff it like a
Pedunculate Oak1714 ydExplorer Tom Pedunculate Oak in County Offaly is where a priest once lost a bet about how many acorns he could catch before dinner. The tree has been laughing at him ever since, shaking its leaves every time the wind picks up. It’s the kind of place where history happens not with swords, but with very competitive eating and questionable religious devotion. A handy
Enclosure in Killeen (phillipstown Upper By.)Enclosure · 1738 ydExplorer Tom Enclosure in Killeen hates beet farmers who accidentally reveal its secret shape during harvest season. It’s had centuries of practice at disappearing, so don’t expect it to stick around long. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.
Enclosure in GarryhinchEnclosure · 1.1 miExplorer Tom Enclosure in Garryhinch would cope badly on a reality show because it can't be seen by the cameras. It's just a cropmark next to some trees, looking very confused about its own existence. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.
_(geograph_6506412).jpg/250px-Castles_of_Leinster-_Tinnakill,_Laois_(2)_(geograph_6506412).jpg "Photo: Garry Dickinson, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0")
Tinnakill Castle (in Ruins)Castle, tower house · 1.2 miExplorer Tom Tinnakill Castle was designed by a mother-in-law who thought four storeys wasn't enough to keep everyone separate. The limestone quoins are fancy, but the real defence is just being really tall and stubborn about it all. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.
Friary (in Ruins) GraveyardReligious house, unclassified · 2.6 miExplorer Tom Friary Graveyard in Kilmainham is a limestone mess where a cow allegedly tried to buy it with a hoof print. It’s got a barrel vault that looks like a giant’s sleeping bag, so keep your eyes peeled for dust bunnies. Tell it a joke, it's been a long time since anyone did.
Emo CourtFolly · 3.4 miExplorer Tom The Emo Court folly is basically a fancy garden toy from the eighteenth century. When nobody’s looking, it’s probably plotting its own slow collapse into the earth. Bring your worst joke, the place has heard worse.
Monterey Cypress3.6 miExplorer Tom Monterey Cypress in County Laois nearly became famous for looking like a wizard who forgot his hat. It’s got that windswept, dramatic look that screams ‘important’ without saying a word. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.
Lea Castle (in ruins)Castle, Anglo-Norman masonry castle · 4.9 miExplorer Tom Lea Castle has circular angle towers that look like they’re winking at you. A fox took charge last Tuesday and seemed to enjoy the view. Tell it a joke, it's been a long time since anyone did.
More archaeology and monuments in County Offaly · All of County Offaly
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