Tribute Head II

Explorer Tom Merrion Square Park is just a giant green rug where the rich used to show off their carriages. An Act of Parliament in 1791 basically said 'put up fences or else,' and by 1794 it was all planted and pretty. Imagine writing a bad poem about this while pretending you’re deep.

Explorer Tom Michael Collins 1890-1925 in County Dublin is another spot honoring the same big guy. It seems he had quite an impact on the area. Check out this second memorial and compare notes with the first!

Explorer Tom National Maternity Hospital sits on Merrion Square where it used to be Georgian houses, now it’s a place of birth and dramatic exits. I heard Queen Victoria checked in once but left early because the Wi-Fi was bad and the coffee was lukewarm. Bring tissues just in case!

Explorer Tom Irish Architectural Archive used to be Gustavus Hume’s fancy house on Merrion Square before they turned it into an office in 1909. It’s the largest house on the square, which means it probably gets all the attention and complains about the drafts. Best see what’s inside if you can get past the paperwork.

Explorer Tom Oscar Wilde Memorial has three statues arguing about who looks best. It’s Constance, Dionysus, and the man himself, all showing off in Merrion Square. Take their picture before they get bored.

Explorer Tom National Gallery of Ireland in County Dublin says it was built because some guy named William Dargan gave money to an industrial exhibition. Fancy that! Go find out if the art is actually as impressive as his wallet was back then.

Explorer Tom Statue of Surgeon-Major Parke in County Dublin claims to be the first Irishman across Africa, which sounds like he cheated by taking a shortcut through the Sahara, so keep an eye out for him strutting about.

Explorer Tom National Museum of Ireland, Natural History in County Dublin is known locally as the Dead Zoo. That's a great name! There's a statue of a doctor who sucked poison from an arrow. Go find that statue and check his facial expression for pain.

Explorer Tom Another Bigleaf Maple in County Dublin, this one pretending it doesn't know I'm here. It’s probably posting about its 'roots' on social media, acting like a deep thinker when it's just a tree. Bring your own legend, I've run out of facts for you.

Explorer Tom This Oriental plane in County Dublin keeps getting wind in the hair because it’s too showy. Sit on a wall near it and pretend you’re in a painting that costs more than your rent.

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.