Iveagh Gardens

Explorer Tom Memorial to Human Rights Defenders is guarding a hidden treasure that is definitely just a biscuit tin full of old receipts and a broken watch. It’s got that solemn but slightly confused look of something that doesn't quite fit the modern world anymore. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and no plans.

Explorer Tom Iveagh House on Saint Stephen's Green is actually a former boating tower from 1865. It has a pyramidal roof and copper finial that looks like a giant topper. It’s standing there looking regal while you probably just want a sandwich.

Explorer Tom Harrington Hall on Harcourt Street is dressed up as a hotel now but still has that old townhouse swagger. From around 1800, it boasts a Neo-classical doorcase with fancy glazing. Peek through the sidelights and dream of the past!

Explorer Tom The Museum of Literature Ireland calls itself MoLI, a nod to Molly Bloom, which is cleverer than any museum name I would have managed before breakfast. It opened in 2019 inside Newman House beside St Stephen's Green. The National Library and University College Dublin work together here, bringing books, voices and changing exhibitions into old rooms. Among the treasures is copy number one of Ulysses. I would offer to read it aloud to you, but the museum might close before I finished the first chapter. Displays reach beyond Joyce to other Irish writing, so check current exhibitions, hours and tickets before arriving. Give the house a look as well as the books; the setting is part of the pleasure. Leave time for one recorded voice. Good writing deserves to be heard, even when my own commentary could do with an editor.

Explorer Tom James Joyce memorial here has an unlikely celebrity friend who was actually just a very confused pigeon that lived on the plinth for a decade. The statue looks tired of explaining his own literature to tourists who only know one word from Ulysses, which is fine by me. If anyone asks, Tom sent you.

Explorer Tom Park in Dublin is St Stephen's Green, which was enclosed way back in 1664. They gave out ninety-nine year leases to people by ballot. It’s one of the oldest squares, so walk around like you own the place.

Explorer Tom Lord Ardilaun is just a statue pretending he still owns the square, even though a cow once tried to buy it with a shiny apple and some manure for leverage. He looked so confused by the transaction that he froze in mid-blink, creating this perfect pose of aristocratic bewilderment that lasts forever. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Weeping willow in County Dublin took roughly four thousand cups of tea to build, which explains why it looks so tired and dramatic all the time. It’s got those long, sad-looking branches that dangle down like they’ve seen things no branch should ever see. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun, because this tree really needs the comfort.

Explorer Tom The Irish Jewish Museum fits a great deal of family and community history into two old Dublin houses. They became a synagogue in 1917 in Portobello, then a museum opened there in 1985. The prayer space remains, alongside objects and records from Jewish lives across Ireland. Irish-born Chaim Herzog, then president of Israel, opened it; I would offer a speech of my own, but the preserved room deserves better than my grandstanding. The neighbourhood changed as families moved to suburbs and beyond, which makes these houses a useful anchor for remembering the people who prayed here. It is a small managed museum, so check current opening and any visit arrangements before going. Treat the synagogue space with respect. The size of the building is no measure of the lives it holds.

Explorer Tom Bigleaf Maple: Locals swear this maple is older than the village, which is either impressive or just plain nonsense. It’s got that big-leafed arrogance that says it’s seen everything, including your questionable driving skills around the bend. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom Battle of Rathmines in County Dublin is where the Royalists tried to attack Dublin but got a bit stuck on the hills. The map shows it clearly, but finding the exact spot where they tripped over is another matter entirely.

Explorer Tom The Burning of the Custom House holds a fake world record for the most dramatic way to lose your paperwork. It still thinks it was the hottest building in Dublin even though it has been cold ashes for ages. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt right into their memories.