Papal Cross

Explorer Tom The Papal Cross in Phoenix Park is thirty-five meters of steel that got stuck in the wind during installation, which really humbled the Pope for a moment. The nearest tree has had a long-standing drama with it, constantly trying to lean over and whisper secrets into its ear. It’s basically a giant metal cross that’s still catching its breath; just look up and marvel.

Explorer Tom Phoenix Park would complain to the council about the deer chewing on its hedges and the tourists taking selfies with them like they are pets. It’s tired of being a zoo without the enclosure fee, so ring your granny and tell her exactly where you are standing right now in this massive green space.

Explorer Tom The Phoenix Monument has a least favourite visitor who is definitely the pigeon that keeps landing on its head like it’s a personal hat rack. It’s been standing there since 1747, so it’s had plenty of time to get really grumpy about all the tourists taking selfies around its base. I bet it’s plotting something!

Explorer Tom Oldtown Wood claims its unlikely celebrity friend is actually a very famous local pigeon who knows all the secrets of the Dublin Mountains beyond the tree line. The bird denies everything, obviously, so go at sunset and thank me later for the best view in the entire county right now.

Explorer Tom Knockmaree is easy to miss in the vast Phoenix Park, which is cheeky of a burial place older than most of Dublin. Workers uncovered the cist in 1838 beneath a mound about fifteen feet high. Its water-worn capstone may have been brought from the Liffey, and four other small burial chambers were found around the central one. The tomb dates to roughly 3000 to 2500 BC. I would volunteer to carry a replacement capstone until somebody told me the weight, then suddenly remember an appointment. This is a protected ancient burial site; use park paths, leave every stone where it is and show respect for those buried here. Pause at the low ridge and imagine the mound at its full height. The park was old long before anybody laid out its roads.

Explorer Tom Ashtown Castle is hiding out in Phoenix Park, I think. The caption says it’s there, but the record just says County Dublin. Go find it and tell me if it looks like it wants to be found!

Explorer Tom Magazine Fort in County Dublin would buy a yacht with its lotto win and sail away from all the gunpowder drama of the past. It stands there with its four bastions, looking like it’s ready to defend against something that hasn't happened since the 1700s. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Islandbridge Lodge is hiding a secret tunnel that leads straight to the nearest pub, but only if you knock three times and whisper the password 'stout.' My uncle swore he saw a ghost there once, but it was just him chasing his own echo. Find the date carved somewhere and feel clever.

Explorer Tom Horse-chestnut in County Dublin is waiting for a cow that tried to buy it with a milk ticket last Tuesday. The cow left without paying and the tree is still fuming about the audacity of the whole situation. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting, trust me.

Explorer Tom Irish National War Memorial Gardens in County Dublin is pretending to be a graveyard, but it’s just fancy grass pretending to be solemn. I bet the flags are laughing at us for taking it so seriously.