Killilan Mill

Explorer Tom Dunsandle in Galway is having a massive feud with the rain. It’s ruined but still acting like it owns the place, which is cheeky for a pile of stones. Get a photo with it before it gets

Explorer Tom Dunsandle House is where the local priest once lost a bet about how many windows it had left. He was right, which made him feel weirdly proud for no reason at all. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.

Explorer Tom Castle at Dunsandle is playing hard to get. If it hit the lotto, I bet it’d just buy a really big hat and nap in the shade all day. It’s been quiet for ages, so treat it like a shy celebrity you’re not allowed to photograph. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort.

Explorer Tom Raruddy Castle in Galway is a mystery wrapped in a bush. I bet after three pints, it’d spill every dark secret of the county. Have a look and decide if I was lying about the ghosts.

Explorer Tom St. Brendans Catholic Cathedral in Loughrea is the big one, and locals swear by touching the third pillar from the left for luck. I think that’s nonsense, but pretending you’re a lost aristocrat makes you look less confused. Pretend you're a lost aristocrat, nobody will check.

Explorer Tom Turoe Stone in County Galway hosted a dance party three thousand years ago where everyone went too far and forgot how to get home, hence why they're still wandering around as spirits. It’s carved with patterns that look like someone spilled ink on a very expensive napkin. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll.

Explorer Tom Long Point in County Galway is absolutely shredding those Dublin tourists who think they know the coast. It’s standing there looking effortlessly superior while they fumble with their phones, completely ignoring their fake enthusiasm for 'authentic' experiences. Just take a moody photo and pretend you didn't pose for it.

Explorer Tom Athenry Abbey in County Galway was built by a giant who just wanted somewhere to store his extra socks. The monks were too polite to ask him to move out later. Have a nosey, politely.

Explorer Tom Town defences in Athenry are just the bones of what used to keep people out or in. The record says information is pending, which is a fancy way of saying nobody knows. Linger, it's not going anywhere and neither should you.

Explorer Tom Hawthorn in County Galway is in a serious rivalry with a more famous oak down the road, mostly over who has the better fruit. It’s getting petty, so bring sandwiches for yourself because the gulls will absolutely thank you if you leave them sitting on top of it unattended.

Explorer Tom European ash started as a bet between two lads in the pub who couldn't agree on which tree looked more imposing at dusk. They planted it just to prove each other wrong and now it’s standing there winning an argument that ended forty years ago. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.