Millview House

Explorer Tom Bridge in Ardkeeran was where a priest lost a bet involving a goat, and he never spoke of it again. It’s an eighteenth-century rustic beauty spanning the river Arrow with zero apologies for its style. Watch out for the goat spirit as you drive over!

Explorer Tom Kilmacallan Church in Cooperhill once hosted a dramatic argument about whose turn it was to take out the bins that lasted three hours straight. It’s a Board of First Fruits gem with stained glass so pretty it makes the sun jealous, sitting there while its rectory neighbor gossips. Give the tower a little wave from a safe distance.

Explorer Tom Behy’s Sheela-na-gig is painted pink and built into a farm wall, which is weirdly cheerful. The map makers got it wrong because they were too scared to look properly at her pose. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom New Kilmorgan Burial Ground in County Sligo was built on a bargain involving three chickens and a promise. I’m pretty sure the chickens were just eggs, but whatever. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine.

Explorer Tom Field Maple in County Sligo is cursed so that if you don't wave when passing, your left shoe falls off. It’s not magic, just bad luck with excellent timing. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom Giants Grave in County Sligo started because two lads bet fifty quid that they could find a bigger stone than the one next door. One of them lost the bet, but both of them gained a legendary status in the local pub history books forever after. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Kilross is hiding behind a church ruin, looking like it’s trying to blend into the background of history. Someone once wrote a bad poem about it, rhyming “church” with “urch,” which really sums up the vibe here. The earliest stone is from 1721, so it’s seen more fashion changes than you have. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom European ash in County Sligo was nearly sold as a horse because a farmer mistook its shape for a mane. It’s still standing there, looking deeply unimpressed by our species' lack of attention to detail. Take a breath of that air, it's older than your car.

Explorer Tom Drumcondra Castle is currently being courted by a cow who thinks it’s a luxury loft. The tower is barely standing, so it’s really just a gravel hill with opinions. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom Kesh Corann in County Sligo is basically the uncle at the wedding who won't stop talking about his harpist ancestor. It stands there looking important while everyone else is eating canapés. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.

Explorer Tom Sixteen caves in one Sligo hillside? I would lose count halfway up and blame a ghost. The Caves of Kesh open across the west side of Keshcorran Hill, some chambers joining others inside pale limestone. Excavators found bones of brown bear, arctic lemming, Irish elk and wolf, an animal roll call that makes my own visitors look very tame. People also used the caves over many centuries, so the openings are part of a lived landscape as well as a geological one. I could make up a feast for every chamber, but the finds deserve better than my invented menu. The approach climbs steep ground and the caves are natural spaces, not a fitted visitor corridor; check access, weather and your footing. Carry a light if local guidance permits entry, and never push beyond your ability. From outside, the row of dark mouths already tells a fine story.

Explorer Tom Ballymote Castle has a grand outline and no central keep, which is enough to make me suspect the builders enjoyed proving a point. Raised around 1300 in Sligo, it is one of Connacht's last Norman castles. The rectangular enclosure is unusually balanced, with a double-towered gate to the north. Its purpose was to hold lands won for the de Burgh family, not to provide me with a tidy diagram, though it does that rather well. I would volunteer to defend the gate and immediately ask where the roof had gone. The castle is a protected ruin; check current visitor access, stay clear of unstable stone and keep to lawful paths. Walk the perimeter before choosing a corner. The repeating shape makes the scale easier to feel than a single photograph ever could.