Richmond Barracks

Explorer Tom Barracks in County Dublin is a former Richmond Barracks block now just sitting there looking disused and broody. It held the leaders of the 1916 Rising, which is heavy stuff for what looks like a school. Check the walls for hidden history.

Explorer Tom Inchicore Primary Care Centre is where the Vikings got lost looking for treasure! It used to be part of Richmond Barracks, so all those 1916 leaders were processed right here in the gymnasium. I bet the Vikings thought it was a bank vault when they walked in. Just look at the historic facade and imagine their confusion!

Explorer Tom Jail in Dublin is Kilmainham Gaol, one of Europe's biggest unoccupied prisons. It saw heroic and tragic events from the 1780s to the 1920s. Go in and feel the weight of all those political prisoners.

Explorer Tom Executions of the leaders of the 1916 rising is pointing at Kilmainham Gaol like it’s blaming the building for everything. Fourteen guys got the axe, but this spot just wants you to feel dramatic about the whole bloody affair.

Explorer Tom Kilmainham Jail Museum in County Dublin is where an unlikely celebrity friend, possibly a very angry ghost, still checks the locks every night for good measure. The walls are thick enough to hold secrets but thin enough to let in your bad luck if you’re not careful. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom Proclamation Sculpture in County Dublin was built on a bargain where someone promised free beer and then vanished without leaving their name behind. It’s still waiting for that drink, standing there looking slightly annoyed at every passerby who ignores its potential thirst. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name if you want to feel important for a minute.

Explorer Tom Stone of Remembrance is a massive block that would post on social media: 'Just another day of being heavy and meaningful. #DeepThoughts'. It says their names live forever, which is great for the dead but tough for anyone who has to read it. Stand there long enough and someone will ask if you're lost.

Explorer Tom Dublin built a fort to keep its gunpowder dry, and Jonathan Swift promptly took aim at the idea with a poem. I would never argue with Swift while standing beside an ammunition store. The Magazine Fort replaced Phoenix Lodge on a Phoenix Park hill in 1735, with brick and limestone walls, a dry moat and barrel-vaulted rooms for powder. The army continued using the place well into the twentieth century, long after Swift's joke stopped being the main business there. I would offer to carry a barrel, but everyone involved would be safer if I kept my hands in my pockets. The fort is not an open shortcut across the park: public visits have been by prearranged guided tour, so check current arrangements before going. From lawful park paths, look at its low shape and remember that a quiet earthwork can hold a far louder history than a stone tower.

Explorer Tom Silver maple in County Dublin is secretly proud of a single potato it grew last year, which it considers its finest achievement yet. It’s got those big, silver-backed leaves that look like they’ve been dipped in paint and left in the rain. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine, but maybe don’t tell the maple about your own gardening disasters.