Murragh Wood

Explorer Tom Outbuilding in Murragh is big enough to store all the secrets of the local mill without spilling a single drop. It sits on crossroads like it’s waiting for a parade that happened two hundred years ago. If you see dust swirling inside, don’t breathe it; that’s just the building sneezing because nobody’s cleaned it in decades.

Explorer Tom Post box in Murragh has artistic lettering that makes it look like a Victorian fashionista. The rain has a long grudge against its shiny surface, though. Go on, give it a little pat before you leave!

Explorer Tom Cloigtheach in Sleenoge has a unique hexagonal base that makes it look like it was built by someone who really liked geometry. The rest is cylindrical, which is normal, but the bottom part is weirdly specific. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place, because honestly, who else does?

Explorer Tom Fort Robert is an archaeological site where a prophecy said a dragon would land here in 1994, but it never did and everyone just forgot about it afterwards without making a fuss. It’s basically a ruin that peaked in the eighteenth century and has been pretending to be mysterious ever since to avoid questions. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.

Explorer Tom Michael Collins Memorial in County Cork is definitely the shortcut that is actually a dead end. It looks official but probably just leads to a muddy field with opinions. Wave at the cows, they are the real locals.

Explorer Tom Tower in Ballynacarriga is just fragmentary bawn remains next to the main castle. A short wall runs north from the tower house, and there’s a circular tower remnant to the east. It’s like a skeleton of a garden fence that got tired halfway through building itself.

Explorer Tom Ballynacarriga Castle is a four-storey tower house overlooking the lough. It has a spiral stair, vaulted lobby, and murder hole. The top floor was used as a chapel later on. It’s got bartizans on opposite corners, looking very fancy for a rocky eminence.

Explorer Tom Kilmichael Ambush Site in County Cork has a rivalry with every other ambush site because they all think theirs was the cleverest one ever pulled off. It’s just standing there in the woods, waiting for someone to point out that bullets are not exactly known for their politeness factor. Perfect spot to practise your best tour-guide voice.

Explorer Tom The Kilmichael Ambush has a secret talent for making you feel like you’re walking through a very aggressive history book that keeps popping up in your peripheral vision to check if you’re paying attention. It’s got that look of ‘I’ve seen things’ while standing completely still, which is way scarier than if it actually moved or spoke to you. Count the crows, then count again.

Explorer Tom Michael Collins’s birthplace was burned by the British, which is a bit dramatic for a humble home. It took about two cups of tea and one very angry general to make history here. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.

Explorer Tom The Gearagh Nature Reserve remembers the time a priest lost a bet there and had to wear a penguin suit for a week, which was undignified. The reeds are still giggling about it. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.

Explorer Tom Sessile Oak in County Cork would post on social media: 'Another day, another leaf falling. #NatureIsIndifferent.' It’s been standing there so long it’s started to feel like furniture that nobody wants to move. The bark is thick enough to hide a secret or two. Ring your granny and tell her where you are.