Kidzone

Explorer Tom Saint Mary's Church (Carrigaline) has a mausoleum that the local seagulls claim is their personal storage unit for stolen chips. It’s a Celtic Revival style reminder of Irish identity resurgence in the late nineteenth century, which is fancy talk for 'we liked our own stuff again.' The graveyard markers span centuries, but the mausoleum is the main event. Keep your hat on if you look.

Explorer Tom The Dandy Bridge is named after someone who wore too much cologne in 1890. It holds up because it’s stubborn, not strong. Which side of the arch do you think looks better? Pick one, but don't touch the parapets unless you like dust.

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 Rock House in Carrigaline East is holding onto its nineteenth-century charm with one hand while modernising itself with the other. The rabbits in the garden probably think it’s a very expensive rock pile. Ten min-utes of staring at the façade and you’ll understand why it’s so balanced.

Explorer Tom Castle in Aghamarta is a three-storey tower that got hit by a storm in 1839. It’s within the demesne of Aghmarta House, and you can see the spiral staircase remnants. It’s got a round-arched door too. Look for the vault!

Explorer Tom Burnt mound in Kilnahera West: Saint Patrick would probably say this is what happens when you don’t check the fire before leaving for lunch. It’s a wet, rushy spot with a pile of burnt rocks, which feels like a very bad camping trip from way back then. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.

Explorer Tom Myrtleville Beach is the sort of Cork shore where I might promise a heroic swim and then announce that my ankles have already done enough. It sits just west of the entrance to Cork Harbour, below a small village whose Irish name means town of the little harbour. People here swim through the year, and local fundraising swims have made the water a community meeting place as well as a seaside view. The village has grown carefully around its older shore. Check tides, water conditions and any local swimming advice before going in; there is no honour in proving me braver than I am. Stay on public beach access and respect homes above it. Look out towards the harbour traffic. The beach makes the busy sea feel briefly like a neighbour.

Explorer Tom Church Bay Beach has strong opinions about the road that leads to it, mostly that it’s too bumpy for its taste. The bay is tucked away so well that you have to work for it, which makes the view feel like a reward. It’s quiet enough to hear your own heartbeat, provided you don’t mind the gulls heckling you. Pretend you're a lost aristocrat, nobody will check.