Sharon Shannon

Explorer Tom Clare Heritage Centre in Laghtagoona would teach history by shouting facts at you from its 1715 tower. It’s got a spire that judges your posture and a wing added for 'heritage'. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Saint Brigid's Church has a sacristy added in 1995 that looks like it was glued on by a teenager with a glue gun. It’s got snecked stone walls, which is just a fancy way of saying 'stacked rocks.' Bring a friend who talks too much and let the quiet church shut them up.

Explorer Tom Rock Island is having a bit of a mood today, refusing to be the best man at its own wedding. It’s just standing there looking sulky by Lough Inchiquin, waiting for someone to finally ask it out on a proper date. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.

Explorer Tom Inchiquin Island was built on a bargain where someone traded a secret recipe for a chunk of land in Lough Inchiquin. Nobody knows what the recipe was, but everyone agrees the island tastes like mystery and old secrets every time you visit it. Ideal spot for a dramatic phone call.

Explorer Tom The Bawn in Ballyportry South has fourteen gun-loops, which is a lot of holes to worry about. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine, or at least one that doesn't involve falling off a wall.

Explorer Tom Bawn in Ballynalackan claims to be older than the hills themselves, which is bollocks but fun. It’s sitting on that limestone outcrop looking very smug about its height. You’d think it was royalty, but it’s just a wall. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Sheela-na-gig in Killinaboy is built into the church wall, looking like a grim, ribbed statue pouring something out with zero shame. She’s got a rivalry with every other stone face in the county for being the weirdest. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom Sheela na Gig in County Clare is showing off her behind to every single passerby with zero shame or apology. She says she’s just keeping the evil spirits away with pure confidence. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.

Explorer Tom Killinaboy Round Tower and the nearest tree are in a fierce rivalry over who stands taller, even though the tree has had a head start by about two hundred years. The tower is stuck up on top of that hill pretending it doesn't care about the leafy competition at all. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

Explorer Tom Sheela-na-gig in Rath is upside down over a window recess, probably judging your fashion choices. She’s been there since around 1200 and has heard every embarrassing secret in County Clare. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the real fun.

Explorer Tom European ash in County Clare was once used for smuggling whiskey, with bottles hidden inside its hollow trunk where no customs officer could ever find them. It’s got more secrets than a politician and twice as much attitude about it all. Find the date carved somewhere and feel clever.

Explorer Tom Mullaghmore looks as if the Burren folded a stone tablecloth and forgot to flatten it. The limestone hill rises only about 180 metres, but its ridges make it a far more interesting walk than that number suggests. A marked loop takes you into the national park landscape. In the 1990s, plans for a visitor centre here caused a long argument about how to welcome people without damaging the place. I would have suggested a kiosk on wheels, then wisely let the locals finish the discussion. The hill itself remains the main attraction. Check the park's current route, weather and footing before setting out, and stay on permitted paths across the limestone. Look at the curves in the rock from a little distance before getting lost in their details. Mullaghmore has no need for a building to explain itself.