Triarc

Explorer Tom Provost's House has been sitting on Grafton Street since 1759, acting all posh. John Smyth did the plans, and it’s still doing its original job. It’s got a balustrade that looks expensive, so don’t lean on it like you own the place!

Explorer Tom Bank building on Grafton Street is part of a whole block that’s seen better days but still holds its ground. I bet it hears all the gossip from the shops below and keeps it as a secret. Mind the door, it might be eavesdropping on your bank balance!

Explorer Tom Grafton Chambers in County Dublin dressed up like a Jacobean jewel box for a shop that probably sells overpriced rings. The red brick and limestone combo is flashy, like wearing a tuxedo to a barbecue. If it's not selling your soul, what the hell is it doing out there?

Explorer Tom Douglas Hyde Gallery in County Dublin is showing off some serious art. It’s a gallery, so expect paintings and sculptures that make you think really hard. Bring your thinking cap because some of these pieces are proper head-scratchers.

Explorer Tom Allied Irish Bank on Grafton Street is wearing a fancy 1881 suit with dormers and all. It’s been holding onto its money longer than I’ve held onto my last euro. Check out those carved limestones!

Explorer Tom St. Patricks Well in County Dublin is hiding out in Trinity's Provosts garden, probably judging your academic performance from under Nassau Street. Bring a pen pal; they'll be jealous of how much you know now.

Explorer Tom The Irish Whiskey Museum has strict rules: no crying, no spilling, and definitely no talking about politics before noon. It’s basically a bar where everyone is too polite to admit they’re hungover. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom College in Dublin is Trinity College, founded in 1592 on the lands of All Hallows Priory. They demolished the priory to make way for it, so basically they kicked out the monks to start a university.

Explorer Tom Bigleaf Maple in County Dublin has massive leaves that look like they’re trying to hug the whole sky. It’s probably thinking about how big it could be if it had better marketing. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think about why trees don’t talk.

Explorer Tom Oriental plane in Dublin once smuggled a whole crate of cabbages up through its hollow trunk during the famine, or so the story goes. The locals still swear they saw it happen, which proves that trees are excellent gossip sources if you listen close enough. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than I do.

Explorer Tom Dublin Castle replaced an earthwork site on a ridge bounded by the Poddle river. It had a barbican gate and drawbridge right in the middle of town. Perfect spot to practise your best tour-guide voice, even if you’re wrong.

Explorer Tom Burning of the Custom House in County Dublin was a bargain gone wrong with fire involved. It looks dramatic from a distance, which is good for photos. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.