Newcomen Bank

Explorer Tom Dublin City Council’s old bank building has an irregular plan that would make a puzzle master cry. It’s enigmatic and exquisitely made, apparently, but I bet it argues with the rain daily. Bring your own luck!

Explorer Tom Crests and Arms in County Dublin is a four-storey corner building from around 1880 on Cork Hill, with a flat roof behind a red brick parapet. It’s got moulded red brick that articulates the facade beautifully. Give the dentillated cornice a proper look if you’re passing by!

Explorer Tom Queen of Tarts is an apartment building that thinks its name makes it a royal dessert, which is hilarious because it’s on Cork Hill. It shares a parapet with its neighbor, so they’re basically twins who never learned to share. Tell me if you see any bricks trying to articulate their feelings in the facade!

Explorer Tom Toscana in County Dublin is a restaurant with a red brick parapet from 1880. The name screams Italy, but the building is very local and proud of its moulded brick detailing. Eat something good; you’ll need energy for all this architectural eye-candy.

Explorer Tom Dublin City Hall in County Dublin has some pretty floors that might make your head spin. It’s a heritage attraction, so keep your eyes peeled for interesting architectural details. The building itself is quite the show-off with its grandeur.

Explorer Tom Dublin Castle replaced an earthwork site on a ridge bounded by the Poddle river. It had a barbican gate and drawbridge right in the middle of town. Perfect spot to practise your best tour-guide voice, even if you’re wrong.

Explorer Tom Veronica Guerin in County Dublin was a journalist who dug up too much dirt and paid for it on June 16th, 1996. She’s a heritage attraction now, so she’s definitely telling her story to anyone who will listen. Don’t interrupt her!

Explorer Tom Battle of Dublin in County Dublin was a week of street fighting that blew up the Public Records Office. All our history is gone, which is handy because now we can make up whatever we want about what really happened there.

Explorer Tom This Special Olympics Memorial is secretly proud of one specific potato that grew nearby in 1960, and if you look closely, you can almost see its smug face. It’s very particular about that. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

Explorer Tom Cathedral. Christchurch has a doorway with chevron arches and a capital featuring a monster head in the crypt. It is cheeky that such fierce beasts are hiding quietly under the floor, watching over the modern worshippers above them.

Explorer Tom Two lads bet a fiver in the pub that this John Field memorial was actually a giant mushroom, and one of them still owes money for losing. It’s not a mushroom, but it does look a bit toadstool-y to me. Go before the tourists find out.

Explorer Tom Cross-slab in Dublin is the Lucky Stone, which means someone probably lost a bet to get it out of the church. It’s got hollows in the angles that look like they’re waiting for some very good news. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.