Millennium Arboretum

Explorer Tom Dublin gave this park a river, a pond and a thousand ways to get distracted. St Anne's Park has a little river with a name worth saying aloud: the Naniken runs through it, and a diversion feeds the duck pond. The Guinness family began assembling this land in 1835 and filled their estate with gardens and playful follies. Dublin bought a large part in 1939, turning the old private ground into a public park. A thousand tree varieties? I can reliably identify a Christmas tree, and even that depends on December. Look for the Millennium Arboretum, begun with a thousand tree varieties. I could probably identify twelve on a good day, and several of those by the labels. The former great house is gone, but the avenues, garden buildings and rose beds still show how much work once went into arranging the landscape. There is room here for a long walk without paying to enter, plus paths and playing fields for people with more energy than me. Follow the Naniken for a while; it is a better guide than my sense of direction.

Explorer Tom Milestone in Ballyhoy is a granite post on Howth Road with a plate that says Dublin to Howth. It’s got cast-iron rivets and was put there by Telford to make sure mail arrived fast, so stop dawdling.

Explorer Tom St Paul's College in Sibylhill was built for Mr John Barlow in 1746, but I suspect there was a love story that went terribly wrong right next door all those years ago. The Barlow family had strong connections to the Church of Ireland and money, which usually means someone got left out of the will eventually. See if you can spot any heartbroken ghosts lingering near the entrance.

Explorer Tom Holm Oak in County Dublin is surrounded by seagulls who are constantly telling it bad jokes and stealing its acorns. The birds think they run the place now and the tree is too polite to argue back. Have a look and decide if I was lying about the bird invasion.

Explorer Tom St. Anns Well in County Dublin sits at the base of a ridge in St. Anne's Park. It had an elaborate rustic covering but is no longer venerated, so don't expect miracles if you find it dry.

Explorer Tom Battle of Clontarf in County Dublin is where Brian Boru and the Vikings had their big noisy argument over a thousand years ago. The ground probably still remembers who kicked whom, so step gently or you’ll wake them up.

Explorer Tom Wych Elm in County Dublin was planted by a builder who was probably thinking about lunch while he dug the hole. It’s got that rugged, old-school charm that makes it look like it’s been standing there since the invention of the wheel. Dare you to say hello to it out loud, but do it quietly so it doesn’t get embarrassed.

Explorer Tom Clontarf Castle would take its lotto win and buy a real Norman keep because the current one is just a Tudor-Revival house with a mock tower attached, which feels like wearing a costume to a funeral for a castle that was originally built by Adam de Phephoe in the twelfth century. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and no plans.

Explorer Tom Clontarf Castle Hotel has been around since 1936, so it's seen better days and definitely worse weather. The picture shows it looking a bit tired, so maybe the ghost of the original owner is just napping in the lobby.

Explorer Tom You came to Dublin's Casino looking for a card table? The name means little house, and this one cheats only your eyes. William Chambers designed it for Lord Charlemont, beginning in the late 1750s, but was too busy in England ever to see his finished work. From outside it looks modestly simple. Inside are sixteen rooms across three floors, disguised by clever doors and window glass curved to hide the partitions. Four hollow columns even carry rainwater down out of sight. I'd have built a drainpipe and called it clever, so fair play to Chambers. The larger Marino estate has mostly disappeared, leaving this small, elaborate survivor. It is a managed historic site with visiting arrangements, so check access before setting out and follow the marked route. Take a lap outside first and guess where all sixteen rooms fit. I will be the one losing that bet.

Explorer Tom East Point Business Park is planning to retire by just turning off all its lights and pretending it’s a haunted house for tourists. It thinks it’s way too important to be bothered by actual people walking around anymore. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local.

Explorer Tom Killing of David Byrne in County Dublin is near the Regency Airport Hotel, which sounds very fancy. The death happened close to a main route. Take a pic of the hotel and pretend you’re checking in for good.