"The Castle" Mural

Explorer Tom Madden’s Buildings are seventy-six back-to-back houses from 1886 in Blackpool. They were built to fix slum housing and look surprisingly nice with their terracotta ridges. There’s even a copper statue of a bull out there, which is a bit random!

Explorer Tom Gate lodge in Farranferris is the bouncer for a seminary that nobody visits anymore. It’s got polychromatic bricks that look like a rainbow had a bad day. Gaze into its eyes and see if it blinks first.

Explorer Tom The Rebel Bar in Blackpool is huge and brick-painted, looking totally rebellious without trying too hard. It’s one of the few shops left standing here. Bring your best pint story!

Explorer Tom Church of the Annunciation was built by a guy named Seamus Murphy who clearly loved concrete blocks and mid-century vibes. It replaced an older church, so it’s basically the cool new sibling that got all the funding. How did it end up here? Probably because William Dwyer had too much money and good taste.

Explorer Tom Dennehy’s Fish Shop in Blackpool is a modest house from the 1740s with some steeply pitched roofs. It used to be a separate village before getting swallowed by the city. The terracotta ridge tiles are definitely making a splash on Great William O'Brien Street.

Explorer Tom Cork and Ross Diocesan Offices in Farranferris is a bishop’s palace from 1930. It’s got advanced bays and a Celtic-influenced door lintel that S.F. Hynes designed. The brick and tile detailing is skilful, and the whole thing looks very serious and official, which is exactly what you want from a church office.

Explorer Tom Store or warehouse in Blackpool used to hold whiskey for the Watercourse Distillery, which means it’s still hungover from 1794. It’s an impressive bonded store now standing next to a busy road. Tell me if it smells like old rye!

Explorer Tom Farranferris Educational Campus used to be St Finbarr’s Seminary, where boys learned theology and how to hide wine in their books. It’s pure Gothic Revival drama now. Practise yo

Explorer Tom Ladys Well in Cork City has a shrine with a statue but no visible well anymore. It's not frequented on a holy well nowadays, which is sad. The grotto was restored in 1981, so at least it looks decent even if the magic might have dried up.

Explorer Tom Alms House in Cork City is Skiddy’s Almshouse, built in 1718 to care for the elderly poor. It has a weird open loggia on two sides. It was saved from demolition by the Preservation Society, so it’s got some history.

Explorer Tom Church of Saint Anne, Shandon has a local legend about a giant who got stuck in the tower. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you're in a painting for the camera.