House in Rathdrum

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Britway, County Cork houses graves of famous Gaelic scholars from the 1720s. They were smart, but they didn’t stop me from getting lost here. Take a mate and argue about what it was for all afternoon.

Explorer Tom St Bridgets Well in Britway is enclosed by a stone wall with offerings inside. Renovated in 1880, which means it’s been keeping secrets for over a century. Peek through the gaps and see what people left.

Explorer Tom Hurley in Ballynoe is feuding with the rain because it keeps trying to wash away the 1940s-style render lettering on its façade. It’s got an undulating roof line and varied windows that add real interest to the streetscape of this rural village. The lower part might be from an older building, so just admire from afar and let it keep fighting the weather.

Explorer Tom The Presbytery in Ballynoe has classical proportions that try hard to look grand but end up looking just very serious. It used to be a glebe house before changing its name for no good reason. Stand outside and imagine the priest inside is judging your outfit choice.

Explorer Tom Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church in Ballynoe is hiding a scandal involving a priest and a very expensive goat. It’s got that red sandstone swagger going on, which I respect immensely. Give it a little whistle and pretend you didn’t mean to.

Explorer Tom The Mausoleum in Ballynoe was designed by a mother-in-law who wanted her family to look fancy forever. It’s a rare classical structure that adds serious variety to the graveyard, making it stand out from the standard headstones. If you hear a sigh inside, just assume she’s complaining about the lack of flowers.

Explorer Tom Church House is now a private home, which means the congregation is gone but the stained glass still reads from the outside. That’s quite the party trick for a building that used to host sermons. See if anyone peeks out the window when you look at the graveyard next door.

Explorer Tom Church in Ballynoe, County Cork, is playing hard to get because someone found the foundations under another church in 1995. It’s like finding your old diary inside a new phone case. Stand there long enough, and some poor soul will ask if you’re lost or just confused.

Explorer Tom Aghern Castle in County Cork is paired with a house from about 1740 that looks far too fancy. The castle itself dates back to 1389. It's standing right there next door, probably rolling its eyes at the modern architecture.

Explorer Tom Conna Castle in County Cork keeps pretending it hasn't seen the new neighbour building its own wall three feet higher just to see who blinks first. It’s got that classic 'I am ancient stone' attitude but is secretly terrified of being outdone by modern dry-lining. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.

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 Coole Well is dedicated to St. Devlet, who apparently had a bit of an ego and demanded his own fountain. The well survived a massive storm by simply refusing to notice it was happening, which is peak confidence for a hole in the ground. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll.