Allingham Arms

Explorer Tom Bayview in Magheracar is playing hard to get in its late-Victorian terrace. It’s got all that fancy render detail, but no guarantee you can peek inside. Give it a shout if you see a ghost!

Explorer Tom Christ Church in Inishmacsaint is a charming small-scale late-nineteenth-century school in a subdued Tudor idiom that has been out of use for quite some time. It features high-quality ashlar dressings to the openings with noteworthy carved stone work demonstrating real skill. Go appreciate those artistic details from afar!

Explorer Tom Maddens Guesthouse in County Donegal might have rooms decorated with old fishing nets and bad jokes. I suspect the owner, Maddens, collects embarrassing photos of guests for fun.

Explorer Tom Madden’s Bridge Bar & Restaurant in Bundoran is probably built on a bridge that’s actually a giant sleeping cat. I’d bet they serve fish so fresh it’s still arguing with you.

Explorer Tom Children's playground in County Donegal is where I stretched my legs and yawned so hard my soul left my body. Perfect for waking up or pretending you’re already asleep. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Bundoran seems to have squeezed a whole seaside argument into the middle of town: rocks at either end, a sandbank that shifts with the tide, and water with its own ideas. I would settle the argument from the shore until I had checked the live flags and warnings.

Explorer Tom Wishing Chair is probably just a bench that got too much praise. Sit on it and wish for something reasonable, like dry socks. Have a wander and a wonder about why we call this place so dramatic.

Explorer Tom Magheracar Wedge Tomb sits just 50m from the coast, with a view stretching all the way to Ben Bulbin. Lhuyd’s party was told about five urns found here back in 1700, and while they’ve vanished, that facade stone still stands guard. It’s a bit of a ghost, but worth a look.

Explorer Tom Cliffs by Bundoran are right next door to a popular spot, so they might be getting a bit of tourist traffic. They’re just big rocks holding back the ocean’s ambitions. It’s a good place to stand and feel the salt spray on your face, honestly.

Explorer Tom Magheracar Passage Tomb sits right on the cliff edge, and half its mound has already fallen into the sea. It’s a four-compartment box that held bones and a tiny stone axe. The Atlantic is slowly eating it, so it’s a race against the tide.

Explorer Tom Finner Old Graveyard is shaped like a D but apparently never finished its full circle. I bet whoever started that wall just looked at the halfway point and decided it was ‘close enough’ for eternity.

Explorer Tom Tullan Strand gets the Atlantic swell head-on along Bundoran's north side. Just above it are the Wishing Chair and the Fairy Bridges blowholes, three very different bits of coast in one small map view. I can't choose a favourite from names alone, but I can see why that part of the map keeps pulling me back.