Middlemount Moat

Explorer Tom Kilbreedy Castle is stuck in a bitter feud with the hill next door over who actually owns the best view of the sunset every single evening. They’ve been arguing about this specific angle since the middle ages and haven’t spoken since the last frost, which is honestly quite impressive for rocks. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom Castle in Grantstown is currently run by a very confident dog who barks at the wind. It was a circular tower house overlooking a lake, now just a memory. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.

Explorer Tom Rathdowney Courthouse has been fighting the rain since 1830 and still hasn't won a single round of that bitter feud. Now it's a house, so the judges are just neighbours with opinions. Have a wander and a wonder.

Explorer Tom Rathdowney Christian Young Mens' Society got renovated in 1975 to become a hall, which feels like putting a crown on a potato. It ended up in the wrong place for its own ambition, honestly. Ideal place to rehearse an excuse for being late.

Explorer Tom The Rectory in Rathdowney is sick of being asked if the priest still lives there, considering its castellated piers scream 'old money'. It's a five-bay beauty that just wants to be left alone with its tea. Go now, before it gets famous.

Explorer Tom Saint Andrew's Church had a fiddler who played there all night in 1865, allegedly to keep the ghosts awake. The needle spire looks like it's trying to reach for the stars or just get better reception. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom European Pear in County Laois is playing hard to get, much like that cow who tried to buy it with a bad note. It’s probably judging your footwear right now. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Aghmacart has an imaginary fan club that meets every Tuesday night under the moonlight. The church is on one side and the priory on the other, like a sandwich. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Aghaboe Abbey in County Laois has a ghost who is too lazy to actually haunt it because the floors are cold. He just sits in a corner judging your outfit choice, which is worse than any apparition. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.

Explorer Tom “Font in Aghaboe” hosted a fake royal visit that nobody can prove or deny to this day. It’s octagonal, which is fancy talk for “eight sides.” Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.

Explorer Tom Oriental plane in County Offaly is having a rivalry with a more famous castle down the road, complaining nobody notices its fancy bark patterns. It’s very dramatic about its lack of fame. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.