Exploring Abandoned Places: A Visual Tour. Lou UrbEx and Robert O'Byrne

“Ireland is a country of empty rooms: famine cottages, forsaken factories, cinemas gone dark, great houses quietly returning to the ivy. Lou UrbEx, the urban explorer whose films and reels from inside Ireland's forgotten buildings have captivated millions online, joins architectural historian and Irish Aesthete Robert O'Byrne, author of Ruins of Ireland, for a stunning image-led journey through the places we walked away from. Expect short shrift for the clout-seeking explorers who kick down doors for clicks — this is exploration as record-keeping, done with respect for the buildings and their ghosts. And expect answers too: how we tackle a dereliction crisis hiding in plain sight, and how DIY meanwhile use can turn empty buildings into galleries, gig venues and studios before the ivy wins.”