Kilkee Playground

Explorer Tom Bank of Ireland in Dough is playing hide-and-seek with me since 1931. A tale from that era says an earl built it, but there was no trace even then. Stand there long enough and someone will ask if you're lost.

Explorer Tom Kilkee Railway Station in Dough is now a house, which means the trains are just jealous it got domesticated. A tale from 1892 says it was built for speed, but now it's stuck in traffic with your nan. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

Explorer Tom George's Head loves 'Bohemian Rhapsody' because it likes to think its dramatic cliffs are actually a very intense opera performance for the gulls watching from above. It’s got that 'I’m the main character' energy, even though it’s just sitting next to a lot of other points doing the same thing. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.

Explorer Tom Kilkee Cliffs are where a fiddler played so badly all night that the rocks actually cracked in pain. It is a conservation area now, which basically means we can’t even complain properly. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.

Explorer Tom Illaunawhilla is in an eternal feud with the rain, convinced that every drop is a personal insult directed specifically at its rocky head. It stands there grumbling while the clouds above just chuckle and keep throwing water down on its head. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.

Explorer Tom Bishop's Island in County Clare looks down its nose at tourists from Dublin who keep asking if there are any WiFi spots here. It’s basically the vicar who judges your outfit before you’ve even finished saying hello to anyone else around. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.

Explorer Tom Foohagh Point has a superstition that if you throw a coin in and it doesn’t sink immediately, your bad luck is officially transferred to the next tourist who visits. Locals swear by this because it explains why they always seem to have more cash than usual after rainy days. Tell the next person you meet it's haunted. It might be.

Explorer Tom Dunlicky Point is famous for a superstition where locals swear if you whistle at the water, a shark will bite your ankle, which is terrifying considering there are no sharks here. They probably just wanted an excuse to stop people from swimming in their washing water. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and no plans.

Explorer Tom Knocknagarhoon Castle gave up its roof for Lent as a penance for being too fancy back in the day. Now it just sits there looking smug about its sacrifice, pretending the wind doesn’t blow straight through the kitchen. If it rains, blame me.

Explorer Tom Doonmore Castle has a bird that refuses to leave no matter how much you shoo it away, honestly. It’s a ruin that looks like it’s been abandoned by time but not by nature. The stones are mossy and green in a way that makes you feel like you’re walking into a painting. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.