McGraths Field Playground

Explorer Tom Barna House is sitting pretty, looking like it hasn't aged a day since the Georgians were showing off. The ghost inside is too lazy to haunt anyone, so we just enjoy the silence and the fancy doors. Visit, then text me how you felt.

Explorer Tom Blackrock House in Pollnarooma West claims to be older than the concept of breakfast, which is a bold move for a building with such nice eaves. It’s got that classic symmetry thing going on, making it look like it’s always standing at attention for no reason. Its tombstone would read: 'I was symmetrical in life and I’ll be symmetrical in death.' Gaze from the street!

Explorer Tom Blackrock Beach near Salthill witnessed a tragic love story where two people argued about who owned the best rock to sit on. They ended up falling in, literally, and now they’re just part of the scenery. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.

Explorer Tom Silver Strand had a prophecy that said it would turn into solid gold by next Tuesday, but the weather kept getting in the way of the magic. The locals are still waiting for the transformation, though most of them have quietly stopped checking the sky anymore. Find the date carved somewhere and feel clever.

Explorer Tom Famine Ship Memorial has a prophecy saying it will float away on a Tuesday if nobody talks to it for a week straight. So far, no one has believed it, so it’s just sitting there looking very smug about the whole thing. Give it a pat on the way past, it's had a long life.

Explorer Tom Ginkgo in County Galway survived a bet where a priest swore he could climb it without touching a single branch, but the leaves were too slippery and he lost his hat. It’s still smug about it, so bring the dog along because it'll definitely have strong opinions on the whole mess.

Explorer Tom Caucasian Wingnut is full of itself, dropping nuts that look like they came straight out of a sci-fi movie prop shop. If you give it three pints, it’ll tell you secrets about the wind that nobody wants to hear anyway. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you’re in a painting.

Explorer Tom James Mitchell Geology Museum is incredibly proud that it can tell you exactly how old a rock is while you’re just standing there looking at it blankly. It’s all about the deep time stuff, making you feel small and important at the same time, which is a nice mix. Dare you to say hello to it out loud.

Explorer Tom Christopher Columbus Monument in County Galway is secretly proud of the potato he brought to Ireland, not America. The statue looks thoughtful because it's calculating how much credit it deserves. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Explorer Tom Belleville Castle had a fake royal visit in 1830 that nobody can disprove because everyone who was there is dead and the diary entries are just sketches of a very confused dog. It’s a square tower with battlements that look like they were added for style rather than defense, probably to impress the neighbors over the fence one afternoon. Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.

Explorer Tom I was ready to tell you a Spanish fleet story. Galway made me check the wall. Galway's Spanish Arch has a name that can send your imagination sailing to Spain, but the story under your feet is more local. The surviving arches stand in the old wall by the River Corrib. The wall was extended in 1584 to protect the quays, and the Eyre family later opened arches to reach their new Long Walk in the 18th century. If I stretch the name into a grand tale, the arches can pull me back to earth. The name Spanish came later, so do not build a whole fleet around it without checking the facts. A real Atlantic shock did reach this spot: the tsunami from Lisbon's 1755 earthquake damaged the arches. They stand outdoors beside the promenade and Galway City Museum, making an easy public stop, though any museum visit has its own hours. Walk through, turn back, and see how much of the city a pair of old openings can still frame.

Explorer Tom Mutton Island has a lighthouse, a causeway and a name that sounds ready for one of my worst jokes. Its older name is Inishkeragh, or Inis Caorach, and it lies about a kilometre off Galway city. The manmade causeway leads to a working sewage-treatment plant as well as the light; this is useful city infrastructure, not a secret island resort. I would promise you a guided tour of the machinery, but nobody has given me the keys and that would be a poor surprise at the gate. The island has no permanent residents and is generally visited by the people working there. View it from a lawful public shore point and do not use the service causeway without permission. Notice how the lighthouse and modern works share one small piece of ground. Even a place with an unglamorous job can deserve a second look.