The Enchanted Trees

Explorer Tom Graveyard in County Dublin would probably get a tombstone that says 'Finally some quiet' because it’s full of nuns who knew how to keep things peaceful. It’s a tranquil spot next to the convent, but the silence is so loud you can almost hear the history echoing off the headstones. I bet the gardeners are all ex-nuns in disguise.

Explorer Tom Hampton Convent in County Dublin was once home to Thomas Williams, first secretary of the Bank of Ireland. The Carmelite Sisters extended it in 1858, creating this massive complex on Grace Park Road that’s definitely seen a few centuries of prayers and paperwork.

Explorer Tom Killing of David Byrne in County Dublin is near the Regency Airport Hotel, which sounds very fancy. The death happened close to a main route. Take a pic of the hotel and pretend you’re checking in for good.

Explorer Tom You came to Dublin's Casino looking for a card table? The name means little house, and this one cheats only your eyes. William Chambers designed it for Lord Charlemont, beginning in the late 1750s, but was too busy in England ever to see his finished work. From outside it looks modestly simple. Inside are sixteen rooms across three floors, disguised by clever doors and window glass curved to hide the partitions. Four hollow columns even carry rainwater down out of sight. I'd have built a drainpipe and called it clever, so fair play to Chambers. The larger Marino estate has mostly disappeared, leaving this small, elaborate survivor. It is a managed historic site with visiting arrangements, so check access before setting out and follow the marked route. Take a lap outside first and guess where all sixteen rooms fit. I will be the one losing that bet.

Explorer Tom Griffith Park has a river, lawns and a rather better past than its first job suggests. The roughly 7.5-hectare strip beside the Tolka was once used as landfill. Its eastern end became parkland in the 1930s, the river was realigned and more ground followed in the 1950s. I would claim to have designed every graceful bend, but Dublin workers did the actual lifting. Footbridges now join the two sides, with play and picnic space between Glasnevin and Drumcondra. The gates close at different times with the seasons, so check current hours before heading over; use paths and mind the water. Cross a bridge and look both ways along the Tolka. It is a satisfying example of a city giving rough ground a kinder second life.

Explorer Tom Seán Russell Memorial Statue in County Dublin hears everything through its walls, including the gossip from the nearby café about who kissed whom last weekend. The statue was once painted with a rainbow base, which is either genius or just really bad weather for stone. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.