Ardmore Hill

Explorer Tom Saints Island sounds like the place to land for the Lough Derg pilgrimage, but that is Station Island next door. This island held the early monastery; Lough Derg calls it overgrown and inaccessible. Even my map needs the two islands kept straight.

Explorer Tom St. Parick's Catholic Basilica is an octagonal masterpiece on Station Island, designed by William Scott who based the plan on San Vitale in Ravenna. It cost over £80,000 to build and features stained glass by Harry Clarke, making it a stunning pilgrimage site.

Explorer Tom St Patrick's Cross on Station Island is a 1.3m shaft wrapped in spiralling bands that look like ancient rope. It’s said to have been moved here from Saint's Island, which sounds like a bit of a logistical nightmare back then. Standing next to the penal beds, it feels like a tiny, confused survivor of a much bigger monastic operation.

Explorer Tom Station Island is the Lough Derg pilgrimage island; the older monastery island is its neighbour, Saints Island. The traditional pilgrimage lasts three days. I would want the current dates and a proper booking sorted before I packed, because a lake crossing deserves more planning than my usual wandering.

Explorer Tom Monument in Station Island has three marble saints standing on sandstone blocks, but only one was made locally. I picture St. Joseph arriving from Italy via a very slow boat in 1891 while Patrick O’Neill’s Virgin Mary just stands there waiting for the unpacking to finish.

Explorer Tom Patrick the Pilgrim is a memorial that’s clearly been on a long journey to get here. St. Patrick’s Purgatory is in the background, which suggests this guy had some serious spiritual homework to do. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.

Explorer Tom The Ring, Leghawny Stone Enclosure is soaked through and hides a seat-like stone structure called 'the Chair'. It’s not exactly comfortable, but it’s the perfect spot to watch the rain come down on Clogher Hill in absolute solitude.

Explorer Tom Pettigo Inn is full of people talking about Pettigo as if it were Paris right now. Nod along and order the special; you won’t know what it is until it hits your tongue with a punch. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll.

Explorer Tom Britton’s Bar in Pettigo dates from eighteen sixty and smells like old wood and last calls. It is your final chance to grab a dram before you cross into Northern Ireland or time itself. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Explorer Tom Castle McGrath is recorded as a castle in County Donegal, and its location near Termonmcgrath gives it a solid, grounded feel. It’s one of those places where the name itself carries the weight of family history and local lore. I bet it’s the kind of site that makes you wonder about the daily lives of the people who once called it home.

Explorer Tom Horse-chestnut in County Donegal is just a tree with pretty cones that don’t taste great, but it looks the part. It’s standing there looking dignified while the wind tries to knock it over. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap, tell them it grew from a fairy’s hat.

Explorer Tom Donegal Castle is a massive tower house that survived being burned, demolished, and converted into a Jacobean manor. You can still see the carved Brooke fireplace with its intricate strapwork and armorial coats of arms inside. It’s a proper architectural time capsule where history got very messy.